Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.

State Department of Education: Special Education 
Alice Parker, Director
Special Education Division
Department of Education 
1430 N Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916) 445-4602
Web: www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/sed/

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Camille Maben, Strategic Advisor (General Education)
California Department of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-0582
E-mail: cmaben@cde.ca.gov
Web: www.cde.ca.gov/pr/nclb/programs.html

Georgianne Knight, Consultant
Special Education Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 327-0844
E-mail: gknight@cde.ca.gov
Web: www.cde.ca.gov/pr/nclb/programs.html

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2 
Rick Ingraham, Part C Coordinator
Children and Family Services Branch
Department of Developmental Services
1600 9th Street, Room 330, MS 3-8
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 654-2773; (800) 515-2229
E-mail: earlystart@dds.ca.gov
Web: www.dds.ca.gov

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5 
Chris Drouin, Interagency Liaison
Special Education Division
Administrative Services Unit
Department of Education 
1430 N Street, Suite 530
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 327-3698

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency 
Catherine Campisi, Director
Department of Rehabilitation
2000 Evergreen Street
Sacramento, CA 95815-3832
(916) 263-8981; (916) 263-7477 (TTY)
Web: www.dor.ca.gov

Coordinator for Transition Services 
Robert Snowden, Consultant 
Transition Services and Work Ability 
Special Education Division 
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 2401
Sacramento, CA 95814 
E-mail: bsnowden@cde.ca.gov

Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities 
Patrick Ainsworth, Director
Secondary, Postsecondary and Adult Leadership Division
California Department of Education 
1430 N Street, Suite 4503
Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916) 445-2652
E-mail: painswor@cde.ca.gov
Web: www.cde.ca.gov/shsd/

State Mental Health Agency
Stephen W. Mayberg, Ph.D, Director
Department of Mental Health 
1600 9th Street, Room 151 
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 654-2309; (800) 896-4042 (in CA)
E-mail: dmh@dmhhq.state.ca.us
Web: www.dmh.ca.gov

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth 
Dave Neilsen, Chief
Children and Family Services
California Department of Mental Health
1600 9th Street, Room 100 
Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916) 654-2952 
E-mail: dneilsen@dmhhq.state.ca.us
Web: www.dmh.cahwnet.gov

State Mental Retardation Program 
Clifford Allenby, Director
Department of Developmental Services
Health and Human Services Agency 
1600 9th Street, Room 240 
Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916) 654-1897
E-mail: callenby@dds.ca.gov
Web: www.dds.ca.gov

Developmental Disabilities Planning Council 
Judy McDonald, Director
State Council on Developmental Disabilities 
2000 O Street, Room 100 
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 322-8481
E-mail: council@scdd.ca.gov
Web: www.scdd.ca.gov

Protection and Advocacy Agency 
Catherine Blakemore, Executive Director
Protection and Advocacy, Inc. 
100 Howe Avenue, Suite 185N 
Sacramento, CA 95825-8219
(916) 488-9950; (800) 776-5746 (In CA)
E-mail: legalmail@pai-ca.org 
Web: www.pai-ca.org 

Client Assistance Program 
Sheila Conlon Mentkowski, Chief
Client Assistance Program 
Department of Rehabilitation
2000 Evergreen Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95815 
(916) 263-7372; (866) 712-0855 (TTY)
(800) 598-3273 (TTY)
E-mail: smentkow@rehab.cahwnet.gov 
Web: www.dor.ca.gov

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs 
Marian Dalsey, M.D., M.P.H., Interim Chief
State Children's Medical Services Branch
Department of Health Services
P.O. Box 942732
Sacramento, CA 94234-7320 
(916) 327-1400
E-mail: mdalsey@dhs.ca.gov
Web: www.dhs.ca.gov/ccs

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
Healthy Families Program 
P.O. Box 138005
Sacramento, CA 95813-8005
(800) 880-5305 (in CA)
Web: www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired 
Tom Lee, Chief
State Office of Services to the Blind
California Department of Social Services
744 P Street, MS 6-94
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-8320
E-mail: BlindAccess@dss.ca.gov
Web: www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/BlindServi_187.htm

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing 
Lisa Bandaccari, Chief
State Office of Deaf Access
Department of Social Services
744 P Street, MS 6-91
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-8320; (916) 653-7651 (TTY)
E-mail: deaf.access@dss.ca.gov
Web: www.dss.cahwnet.gov/cdssweb/officeofde_189.htm

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 735-2922 (V)
(800) 735-2929 (TTY); 711 (TTY)
(800) 854-7784 (Speech to Speech)

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf-Blind
Cathy Kirschner, M.S., Regional Representative
Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youth & Adults 
6160 Cornerstone Court, East
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 623-2777; (800) 432-7619 (V/TTY)
(858) 646-0784 (TTY)
E-mail: ckirschner@allient.edu
Web: www.hknc.org

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center 
Erica C. Jones, Director
Pacific Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center
Public Health Institute
555 12th Street, Suite 1030
Oakland, CA 94607-4046
(510) 285-5600 (V/TTY); (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: adatech@pdbtac.com
Web: www.pacdbtac.org

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Olivia Raynor, Ph.D., OTR and
Andrew Russell, M.D., Co-Directors
Tarjan Center for Developmental Disabilities at UCLA 
University of California, Los Angeles
300 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 3302
Los Angeles, CA 90095-6967
(310) 825-0170
E-mail: oraynor@mednet.ucla.edu
E-mail: arussell@mednet.ucla.edu
Web: www.tarjancenter.ucla.edu

Robert A. Jacobs, M.D., MPH, Director
University of Southern California
University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
4650 Sunset Boulevard
P. O. Box 54700, MS #53
Los Angeles, CA 90054-0700
(323) 669-2300
E-mail: rjacobs@chla.usc.edu
Web: www.uscuap.org

Technology-Related Assistance 
Richard Devylder, Project Coordinator
California Assistive Technology System 
Department of Rehabilitation
2000 Evergreen Street
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-8699 (V/TTY)
E-mail: bschlesi@dor.ca.gov
Web: www.dor.ca.gov

State Mediation System 
Karen Johnson, ADR Projects Coordinator
Department of Education
Special Education Division
1430 N Street, 2nd Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 323-2196
E-mail: kjohnson@cde.ca.gov
Web: www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/sed/cmm/ca_adr.htm

Special Format Library
Dr. Henry C. Chang, Librarian 
Braille Institute Library Services 
741 N. Vermont Avenue 
Los Angeles, CA 90029-3594 
(323) 663-1111, ext. 500; (800) 808-2555 
(323) 660-3880 (TTY)
E-mail: bils@braillelibrary.org
Web: www.braillelibrary.org/
 
 

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Disability-Specific Organizations
Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: www.chadd.org

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) 
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464
(484) 945-2101
Web: www.add.org

Autism
To identify an autism group in your state, contact:
Autism Society of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-0881; (800) 3-AUTISM
Web: www.autism-society.org
 
 

Blind/Visual Impairments
Gil Johnson, Director
American Foundation for the Blind-West
111 Pine Street, Suite 725
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 392-4845
E-mail: sanfran@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org

LaDonna Ringering, Ph.D., Director
The Center for the Partially Sighted
12301 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 458-3501; (800) 481-EYES (3937)
E-mail: info@low-vision.org
Web: www.low-vision.org

Cerebral Palsy 
United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Sacramento
191 Lathrop Way, Suite N
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 565-7700
E-mail: ucp@ucpsacto.org
Web: www.ucpsacto.org
 

Down Syndrome
Joyce Clark, Program Coordinator
Down Syndrome Association of San Diego
c/o The Exceptional Family Resource Center
9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92123
(619) 276-4494
E-mail: jclark@projects.sdsu.edu

Epilepsy
Kathy D. West, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County
2055 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 296-0161
E-mail: info@epilepsysandiego.org
Web: www.epilepsysandiego.org

Susan Pietsch-Escueta, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura & San Bernardino Counties
5777 W. Century Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 670-2870; (800) 564-0445
E-mail: sos@epilepsy-socalif.org
Web: www.epilepsy-socalif.org

John Kitto, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California
1624 Franklin Street, Suite 900
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 893-6272; (800) 632-3532
E-mail: efnca@epilepsynorcal.org
Web: www.epilepsynorcal.org
 

Learning Disabilities 
Wendy Terry, Executive Secretary
Learning Disabilities Association of California 
6060 Sunrise Vista Drive, Suite 1550
Citrus Heights, CA 95610
(916) 725-7881; (866) 532-6322
Web: www.LDACA.org

Mental Health 
Rusty Selix, Executive Director
Mental Health Association in California 
1127 11th Street, Suite 925
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 557-1167
E-mail: rselix@mhac.org
Web: www.mhac.org 

Jennifer Clancy, Executive Director
United Advocates for Children of California
1401 El Camino Avenue, Suite 340
Sacramento, CA 95815-2700
(916) 643-1530; (866) 643-1530
E-mail: information@uacc4families.org
Web: www.uacc4families.org
 
 

Grace McAndrews, Executive Director
NAMI California
1111 Howe Avenue, Suite 475 
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 567-0163
E-mail: Nami@namicalifornia.org
Web: www.NAMICalifornia.org
 
 

Mental Retardation 
Tony Anderson, Executive Director
The Arc of California 
1225 Eighth Street, Suite 210
Sacramento, CA 95814 
(916) 552-6619
E-mail: tanderson@arccalifornia.org
Web: www.arccalifornia.org
 
 

Speech and Hearing
Robert Powell, J.D.
California Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CSHA)
(representing speech-language pathologists)
825 University Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95825-6724
(916) 921-1568
E-mail: CSHA@CSHA.org
Web: www.CSHA.org
 
 

Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida Association of Greater San Diego
P.O. Box 232272
San Diego, CA 92193-2272
(619) 491-9018
E-mail: sbaofgsd@hotmail.com 
 

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Organizations Especially for Parents
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) 
Susan Henderson, Director
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inc. (DREDF) 
2212 6th Street 
Berkeley, CA 94710 
(510) 644-2555; (800) 348-4232
E-mail: dredf@dredf.org
Web: www.dredf.org

Bobbie Coulbourne, Program Coordinator
Exceptional Parents Unlimited
4440 N. 1st Street
Fresno, CA 93726
(559) 229-2000
E-mail: bcoulbourne@exceptionalparents.org
Web: www.exceptionalparents.org

Nora Thompson, Executive Director
MATRIX, A Parent Network and Resource Center
94 Galli Drive, Suite C
Novato, CA 94949
(415) 884-3535; (800) 578-2592
E-mail: info@matrixparents.org
Web: www.matrixparents.org 

Mary Ellen Peterson, Chief Executive Officer
Parents Helping Parents of Santa Clara
3041 Olcott Street
Santa Clara, CA 95054-3222
(408) 727-5775; (408) 748-8339 (TTY)
E-mail: info@php.com
Web: www.php.com 

Kat Lowrance, Executive Director
Rowell Family Empowerment of Northern California
1244-B Hartnell Avenue
Redding, CA 96002
(530) 226-5129; (888) 263-1311
E-mail: sklowrance@aol.com
E-mail: sea@sea-center.org
Web: www.rfenc.org
 

Juno Duenas, Executive Director
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
2601 Mission Street, Suite 606
San Francisco, CA 94110-3111
(415) 282-7494
E-mail: info@supportforfamilies.org
Web: www.supportforfamilies.org

Marta Anchondo, Executive Director
Brenda Smith, Deputy Director
Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK) 
100 W. Cerritos Avenue
Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 533-8275; (866) 828-8275
E-mail: taskca@yahoo.com
Web: www.taskca.org

Brenda Smith, Director
Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK), San Diego
4550 Kearny Villa Road, Suite 102
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 874-2386; (858) 874-2387
E-mail: taskd1@yahoo.com
Web: www.taskca.org
 
 

Community Parent Resource Center 
(serving San Diego and Imperial County)
Sherry Torok, Executive Director
Exceptional Family Resource Center
9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92123
(619) 594-7416; (800) 281-8252
Web: www.efrconline.org/

(Serving most of LA County)
Theresa Cooper, Executive Director
Loving Your Disabled Child (LYDC)
4528 Crenshaw Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90043
(323) 299-2925
E-mail: info@lydc.org
Web: www.lydc.org

(Serving Watts County) 
Alice Harris, Executive Director
Parents of Watts
10828 Lou Dillon Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90059
(323) 566-7556
E-mail: egertonf@hotmail.com

Diana Lee, Director
Sickle Cell Community Health Network
Oakland PEACE CPRC
1515 Webster
Oakland, CA 94612
(877) 726-2372

(Serving Orange and Los Angeles County)
Hung Nguyen, President
Vietnamese Parents of Disabled Children Association, Inc.
7526 Syracuse Avenue
Stanton, CA 90680
(310) 370-6704
E-mail: vpdca@aol.com
Web: http://vpdca.org/

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) 
Carla Niño, President
California State PTA
930 Georgia Street
P.O. Box 15015
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 620-1100
E-mail: info@capta.org
Web: www.capta.org
 
 

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Other Disability Organizations
Suzanne Fisher, Executive Director
California Association of School Psychologists
1400 K Street, Suite 311
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-1595
E-mail: memberservices@casponline.org
Web: www.casponline.org

Michael Pelfini, President and CEO
Easter Seals Bay Area
180 Grand Avenue, Suite 300
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 835-2131, ext. 126
E-mail: mpelfini@esba.org
Web: www.eastersealsbayarea.org

(Serving Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus & Tuolumne Counties)
Ann Cirimele, Executive Director
Family Resource Network
5250 Claremont Avenue, Suite 239
Stockton, CA 95207
(209) 472-3674; (800) 847-3030 (in 5 county region)
Email: frnfamilies@aol.com
 

Leah Goodwin, President
VSA arts of California
3770 E. Willow Street
Long Beach, CA 90815
(714) 607-8867
E-mail: leahbgood@yahoo.com

Independent Living 

To find out the contact information for the Statewide 
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: www.ilru.org

To find out the contact information for centers for 
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3406; (703) 525-4153 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: www.ncil.org