PARC informs parents, helps Kulanu students

The Keren Eliana Parent Advocacy and Resource Center (PARC), founded in 2000, is part of the Kulanu Academy on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst that has assisted special needs children for the past 14 years.
PARC is an information resource referral that helps about 40 special needs children aged 12 to 21 attending Kulanu and their families, in addition to individuals throughout Nassau County, to navigate the variety of service providers. A nonprofit organization that depends on grants to operate, PARC helps families obtain Medicaid and Social Security benefits. They also assist parents who opt to work with the county’s Office for People With Developmental Disabilities or through consolidated supports and services, working with a broker.
PARC’s director Amy Eisenberg said that the children and families who receive help are referred to her office, and are treated individually. “A family will call us and say that their child has been diagnosed with having special needs,” she said. “Many times, they don’t know what to do or how to proceed. We assess their needs. Every child, each person here has a completely different plan.”
Along with diagnosis, the resource center also hosts informational seminars quarterly throughout the year. What is called seamless transition, which is the process during which special needs children from 12 to 21 years old request services to assist them in their shift into adulthood, is a major focus of PARC.
“It is critical after 13, 14, and 15 years of age to have a plan upon their graduation from high school, when they turn 18-years-old,” Eisenberg said. “Our program helps with the planning component of every child as they make this transition.”

The next seminar is scheduled to take place on Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. at Kulanu. The second part of its panel series, “Seamless Transition: Continued,” parents, educators, and clinicians who are involved in the school transition process are encouraged to attend.
Some topics of discussion will involve work to college programs, adult day programs, vocational placements and assisted living. The panel will also speak about timelines in transition planning, and the legal and financial options available to families.
Panelist Cheryl Gitlitz is a transition counselor who works for the Bellmore-Merrick district. In her work as a transition counselor, she links students and parents in her district to the services Kulanu and PARC provide.
“Special education and high school teachers are available to help these children as long as they are in school,” she said. “But there isn’t always a nice and neat little package set up for them after they graduate. We say to so many kids, ‘Congratulations, now here’s the rest of your life,’ without giving them a plan to help them make the transition.’” This would be where Gitlitz and PARC step in to help.
Judi Velocci of Massapequa, whose child has special needs, expressed her gratitude for PARC’s services and seminars. “Going through the transition to adulthood can be a bit overwhelming,” she said. “Having this wealth of information is such a blessing.”
For more information about PARC visit www.kulanukids.org or call (516) 569-3083 ext. 140.