Jewish Family Services of Orange County has announced the launching of it’s new program to provide supports to persons with disabilities and their families. The new program titled Special Needs Support Services (SNSS) will help families and persons with disabilities, to facilitate services that are provided in inclusive and community based contexts. As a Jewish Family Service program, SNSS is non-sectarian and therefore services are available to the entire community.
Dr. Jan Weiner the new SNSS program coordinator is also a staff member of the special education department at California State University, Fullerton. Dr. Weiner has over 25 years of experience in the field of disabilities with a special emphasis on best practice programs for persons with autism spectrum disorder. She was also the project director of the Full Inclusion Pre-school Project that resulted in over 100 students with significant disabilities integrating into regular pre-school programs throughout Orange County.
Dr. Weiner noted, that “The SNSS program will include information regarding laws/legislation on families’/consumers’ rights, authentic assessment, strategy development for positive behavior support, advisement on evidence based best practice, universal design, accommodations consultation, collaboration with schools and other community facilities to design inclusive opportunities, assistance with developing IEP/ITP/IFS goals and objectives and referrals to additional resources”.
Dr. Weiner also explained that “this program was initiated and designed based on an extensive needs assessment completed by the Jewish Family Service Special Needs Commission, that is representative of the Orange County community of persons with disabilities and their families”.
SNSS has received funding support to date from two individual family donations and the Irvine Spectrum Rotary Club.
