ECS Resources

Announcements

• New: ECS in the News
  • The Globe and Mail (Canada): Developing a Game Plan - “No one-size-fits-all solution”
  • The Globe and Mail: Letters to the Editor
  • Idaho Post Register: Program hopes to help parents (.pdf; Adobe Reader required)
• In December 2009, Dr. Betsy Grigoriu was invited by the Special Needs Financial Planners in Rochester, NY, to present the services of ECS that are complementary to the financial planning offered through MassMutual. In an ongoing effort to broaden the range of options available to our clients, ECS is pleased to suggest to these sorts of financial options to our clients when appropriate. We specialize in finding appropriate placements for a family member with a special need. Families often need help in determining how they will pay for special care in the short term and/or long term. This is where MassMutual's Special Care^sm program might be an option. It offers financial solutions to help families plan for a family member's special needs or disabilities.
• Dr. Betsy Grigoriu, ECS Educational Consultant and Advocate, and Nina Aasen, Attorney at Law, specializing in educational law, recently conducted a Parent Advocacy Training in Ithaca, NY. The event was free and open to parents/guardians with children who have learning and/or developmental disabilities or other difficulties in school. The training was held on two dates to accommodate parents’ busy schedules. The presenters offered this free event because they strongly believe that parents/guardians are a child's first and best advocate in obtaining appropriate special education services for children when they need extra help and services in school. But advocating for a child can be an enormous undertaking that requires determination and perseverance, and, at times, the process can seem overwhelming due to the amount of information necessary to know about special education law and eligibility, the timeliness of meeting procedural guidelines and deadlines, and the sensitive nature of negotiating and maintaining positive parent-school relations. Participants in the training gained an Overview of Educational Advocacy, Procedural Rights, Evaluation Basics, and Tools and Resources. Grigoriu and Aasen are planning to offer the trainings again in the fall.
• ECS is the first consulting firm to offer the new Family Bridge 2.0. ECS will be offering our new clients enrollment in this portal as a complimentary service. We are certain that it can significantly improve communication and coordination amongst parents and the professionals helping to support our clients.