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 
Lana Michelson, Bureau Chief
Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building 
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146 
(515) 281-5735 
E-mail: Lana.Michelson@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/ 

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Judy Jeffrey, Division Administrator
Early Childhood Elementary and Secondary Education
Iowa Department of Education 
Grimes State Office Building 
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146 
(515) 281-3333
E-mail: judy.jeffrey@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate

Early Intervention System, Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2 
Julie Curry, State Coordinator
Early ACCESS (IDEA, Part C)
Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services
Iowa Department of Education 
Grimes State Office Building, 3rd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5437
(800) 779-2001 (inquiries/referrals to early intervention)
E-mail: Julie.Curry@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/cfcs/ea/index.html

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages Birth Through 5
Mary Schertz, Consultant
Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services
Iowa Department of Education 
Grimes State Office Building 
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146 
(515) 281-5433
E-mail: Mary.Schertz@iowa.gov

State Vocational Rehabilitation 
Stephen A. Wooderson, Administrator 
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Department of Education
510 E. 12th Street 
Des Moines, IA 50319 
(515) 281-6731
E-mail: swooderson@iowa.gov
Web: www.dvrs.state.ia.us

Coordinator for Transition Services
Barbara Guy, State Transition Coordinator 
Transition and Work Experience 
Department of Special Education 
Iowa Department of Education 
Grimes State Office Building 
400 E. 14th Street 
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146 
(515) 281-5265 
E-mail: Barbara.Guy@ed.state.ia.us
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/cfcs/

Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities 
Bureau of Community Colleges & Career and Technical Education
Department of Education 
Grimes State Office Building 
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146 
(515) 281-3866 
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/

Employment Rights for People with Disabilities
Jill Avery, Administrator
Division of Persons with Disabilities
Department of Human Rights
Lucas State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 242-6172; (888) 219-0471 (V/TTY)
E-mail: dhr.disabilities@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/dhr

State Mental Health Agency 
Mary Nelson, Administrator
State Mental Health Agency/State DD Program
Division of Behavioral, Developmental and Protective Services for Families, Adults and Children
Department of Human Services
Hoover State Office Building, 5th Floor
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0114
(515) 281-5521
E-mail: mnelson1@dhs.state.ia.us
Web: www.dhs.state.ia.us

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth
Mary Mohrhauser, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Specialist
State Mental Health Agency/State DD Program
Division of Behavioral, Developmental and Protective Services for Families, Adults and Children
Department of Human Services
Hoover State Office Building, 5th Floor
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0114
(515) 242-6845
E-mail: mmohrha@dhs.state.ia.us
Web: www.dhs.state.ia.us

State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council 
Becky Harker, Executive Director
Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council 
617 E. Second Street 
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 281-9083
E-mail: bharker@dhs.state.ia.us
Web: www.state.ia.us/government/ddcouncil/

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Sylvia Piper, Executive Director 
Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc. 
950 Office Park Road, Suite 221
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 278-2502; (800) 779-2502
(515) 278-0571 (TTY)
E-mail: info@ipna.org
Web: www.ipna.org

Client Assistance Program 
Harlietta Helland, Consultant
Department of Human Rights
Division of Persons with Disability 
Client Assistance Program 
Capitol Complex, Lucas Building 
Des Moines, IA 50319 
(515) 281-3957; (800) 652-4198 (V/TTY)
E-mail: harlietta.helland@iowa.gov

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Jeffrey G. Lobas, M.D., Director 
Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics 
100 Hawkins Drive, Room 247
Iowa City, IA 52242-1011 
(319) 356-1118; (866) 219-9119
(866) 236-1423 (TTY)
E-mail: jeffrey-lobas@uiowa.edu
Web: www.medicine.uiowa.edu/chsc

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
hawk-i Program
P.O. Box 71336
Des Moines, IA 50325-9958
(800) 257-8563
Web: www.hawk-i.org/

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired or Deaf-Blind 
Allen C. Harris, Director 
Iowa Department for the Blind 
524 Fourth Street 
Des Moines, IA 50309-2364 
(515) 281-1333; (515) 281-1355 (TTY)
E-mail: harris.allen@blind.state.ia.us
Web: www.blind.state.ia.us

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Kathryn Baumann-Reese, Administrator
Deaf Services Commission of Iowa
Iowa Department of Human Rights 
Lucas State Office Building 
Des Moines, IA 50319-0090
(515) 281-3164 (V/TTY) 
E-mail: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/government/dhr

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 735-2943 (V)
(800) 735-2942 (V/TTY); 711 (TTY)
(877) 735-1007 (Speech to Speech)

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center 
Jim de Jong, Director
ADA and I.T. Center
Great Plains Disability and Business Technical Assistance Ctr.
University of Missouri/Columbia
100 Corporate Lake Drive
Columbia, MO 65203
(573) 882-3600; (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: ada@missouri.edu
Web: www.adaproject.org

University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Robert Bacon, M.A., Director 
Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Disabilities
Center for Disabilities and Development
100 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242 
(319) 356-1335
E-mail: robert-bacon@uiowa.edu
Web: www.medicine.uiowa.edu/cdd/iuce.asp

Technology-Related Assistance 
Jane Gay, Director
Iowa Program for Assistive Technology 
Center for Disabilities and Development
The University of Iowa 
100 Hawkins Drive, South 295
Iowa City, IA 52242-1011
(319) 353-8777; (800) 331-3027 (V)
(877) 686-0032 (TTY)
E-mail: infotech@uiowa.edu
Web: www.uiowa.edu/infotech/

State Mediation System
Dee Ann Wilson, Consultant
Department of Education
Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-5766
E-mail: DeeAnn.Wilson@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate

Special Format Library
Karen Keninger, Librarian
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped 
Iowa Department for the Blind 
524 Fourth Street 
Des Moines, IA 50309-2364 
(515) 281-1333; (800) 362-2587 
(515) 281-1355 (TTY)
E-mail: keninger.karen@blind.state.ia.us
Web: www.blind.state.ia.us/library/

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
E-mail: mail@add.org
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
Jay Stiteley, Director
American Foundation for the Blind-Midwest
401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 350
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 396-4420
E-mail: chicago@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org 

Brain Injury
Brain Injury Association of Iowa
2101 Kimball Avenue, LL7
Waterloo, IA 50702
(319) 272-2312; (800) 475-4442
E-mail: biaia@cedarnet.org
Web: www.biaia.org

Cerebral Palsy 
Peg Eherenman, Executive Director
The Arc of Cedar Valley
760 Ansborough Avenue
P.O. Box 4090
Waterloo, IA 50704-4090
(319) 232-0437

Epilepsy 
Victor Verni, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation North/Central Illinois, Iowa & Nebraska
321 W. State Street Suite 208
Rockford, IL 61101-1119
(815) 964-2689; (800) 221-2689
E-mail: efncil@efncil.org
Web: www.epilepsyfoundation.org/ncillinois/

Learning Disabilities
Kathy Specketer, Coordinator
Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa
321 E. Sixth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309 
(515) 280-8558; (888) 690-5324
E-mail: kathylda@askresource.org
Web: www.lda-ia.org

Mental Health 
Lori Reynolds, Executive Director
Iowa Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
P.O. Box 362
Anamosa, IA 52205
(319) 462-2187; (888) 400-6302
E-mail: help@iffcmh.org
Web: www.iffcmh.org

Margaret Stout, Executive Director
NAMI Iowa
5911 Meredith Drive, Suite E
Des Moines, IA 50322-1903
(515) 254-0417; (800) 417-0417
E-mail: amiiowa@aol.com

Mental Retardation
The Arc of Iowa 
715 E. Locust 
Des Moines, IA 50309 
(515) 283-2358; (800) 326-2927
E-mail: arciowa@aol.com

Speech and Hearing
Sheila Dietz, Executive Director
Iowa Speech-Language-Hearing Association
525 S.W. Fifth Street, Suite A
Des Moines, IA 50309-4501
(515) 282-8192
E-mail: sdietz@assoc-mgmt.com
Web: www.isha.org

Special Health Care Needs
Paula S. Connolly, Project Director
Family Voices / Health Information Center
321 E. Sixth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 243-1713; (800) 450-8667
E-mail: f2finfo@askresource.org
Web: www.askresource.org

Spina Bifida
Rod Tressel, President
Spina Bifida Association of Iowa 
P.O. Box 1456 
Des Moines, IA 50305 
(515) 964-8810
E-mail: SpinaBifidaIowa@yahoo.com
Web: www.spinabifidaia.com

Organizations Especially for Parents and Caregivers

Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) 
Jule Reynolds, Director
Access for Special Kids
321 E. Sixth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 243-1713; (800) 450-8667
E-mail: jule@askresource.org
Web: www.askresource.org

Parent-To-Parent 
ASK (Access For Special Kids) Resource Center
321 E. Sixth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 243-1713; (800) 450-8667
E-mail: info@askresource.org
Web: www.askresource.org

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) 
Sherry Brown, President
Iowa Congress of Parents and Teachers
8345 University Boulevard, Suite F-1
Des Moines, IA 50325
(515) 225-4197; (800) 475-4782
E-mail: ia_office@pta.org
Web: www.iowapta.org

Parent Educator Connection
(see listing under “Other Disability Organizations”)

Other Disability Organizations

Donna K. Elbrecht, President/CEO
Easter Seals Iowa
P.O. Box 4002
Des Moines, IA 50333-4002
(515) 289-1933; (515) 289-4069 (TTY)
E-mail: info@eastersealsia.org
Web: www.eastersealsia.org

Jane Gay, Director
Iowa Compass: Information and Referral
Center for Disabilities and Development
The University of Iowa
100 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 353-8777; (800) 779-2001
E-mail: iowa-compass@uiowa.edu
Web: www.medicine.uiowa.edu/iowacompass

Deb Samson, Parent Coordinator
Parent Educator Connection
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 242-5295
E-mail: deb.samson@iowa.gov

Stephanie Dunker, Executive Director
VSA arts of Iowa
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5839
E-mail: steph.dunker@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/vsa/index.html

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