Education Advocacy for Children with Lyme

2010 Annual Conference – March 11th to 14th St. Louis, Missouri 

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates(COPAA)

Judith Leventhal, PhD, Patricia Exman, Education Advocate and Sandy Berenbaum, LCSW, BCD will be presenting “Complex Multi-System Medical Illness:  Educational Needs and Advocacy Strategies.”  Using Lyme disease as the model, the presentation will provide information about the complexity of symptoms and resulting cognitive and functional impairments that can interfere with a child’s ability to learn and attend school regularly. 

This presentation will provide participants with valuable information about the challenge children with tick-borne diseases face when navigating their learning environment and the accommodations and services to which they are entitled.  There will be an emphasis on the need for a deep understanding of Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses to effectively advocate for the educational needs of students with tick borne illnesses. With Lyme disease as a model this presentation will serve as a guide to support the educational needs of children with other complex multi-system medical illnesses.
This is an exciting opportunity to have an impact on the lives of students with Lyme disease around the country, through developing a network of advocates and attorneys who understand the devastating impact of this disease. The inclusion of our presentation and associated materials in the Conference Compendium will provide this important information to all Conference attendees.  We hope that medical and mental health professionals and advocates around the country will encourage education advocates and attorneys in their communities to attend this conference.

We gratefully acknowledge an Education Grant from the Lyme Disease Association supporting our presentation. In addition, Time for Lyme and the Lyme Disease Association are co-sponsoring an exhibit table at the Conference.

Please refer to the COPAA website, www.copaa.org <https://www.copaa.org/>  for conference details. Please feel free to re-post this announcement.

Sandy Berenbaum, LCSW, BCD
Family Connections Center for Counseling
Offices in Brewster, NY and Southbury, CT
(203) 240-7787

Children’s and Mental Health Editor – Lyme Times

www.lymefamilies.com