Free help is available in every state - find your local support organizations
Every state has federally funded organizations that provide free help to families of children with disabilities. The two most important types are:
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, PTIs provide free training and information to parents of children with disabilities from birth through age 26. PTI staff can help you:
Established by federal law, P&A organizations exist in every state and territory to protect the rights of people with disabilities. P&A services are free and may include:
Note: P&A organizations have limited resources and may not be able to represent every family. They typically prioritize cases involving the most serious rights violations. Even if they cannot represent you directly, they can provide information, referrals, and guidance.
These organizations serve families in all states.
The central hub for PTIs and CPRCs (Community Parent Resource Centers). Their website has a searchable directory to find your state's PTI.
Website: parentcenterhub.org
How to find your PTI: Visit parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center
The membership organization for the P&A and Client Assistance Program (CAP) agencies. Their website has a directory of all state P&A organizations.
Website: ndrn.org
How to find your P&A: Visit ndrn.org/about/ndrn-member-agencies
One of the most comprehensive resources for special education law and advocacy. Founded by attorney Pete Wright, this site provides in-depth information about IDEA, IEPs, Section 504, and advocacy strategies.
Website: wrightslaw.com
A national organization of attorneys, advocates, and parents focused on protecting the rights of children with disabilities. Their website has a directory of special education attorneys.
Website: copaa.org
A comprehensive resource for families of children with learning and thinking differences. Provides articles, tools, and a community forum covering IEPs, 504 Plans, and learning disabilities.
Website: understood.org
The federal office responsible for administering IDEA. Their website has information about federal special education policy, data, and guidance documents.
Website: sites.ed.gov/idea
The fastest way to find your state's PTI and P&A is to use the directories listed above. Below is a state-by-state reference listing the primary Parent Training and Information Center and Protection and Advocacy organization for each state. Contact information may change; verify current details through the national directories.
PTI: Special Education Action Committee (SEAC) - seac.com
P&A: Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP) - adap.ua.edu
PTI: PEAK Parent Center (serving Alaska) - peakparent.org
P&A: Disability Law Center of Alaska - dlcak.org
PTI: Raising Special Kids - raisingspecialkids.org
P&A: Arizona Center for Disability Law - acdl.com
PTI: Arkansas PTI (APALM - Arkansas Parents Acting to Liberate Minds)
P&A: Disability Rights Arkansas - disabilityrightsar.org
PTI: Parents Helping Parents - php.com
Additional PTIs: Matrix Parent Network (matrixparents.org), TASK (teamofadvocates.org), Fiesta Educativa (fiestaeducativa.org)
P&A: Disability Rights California - disabilityrightsca.org
PTI: PEAK Parent Center - peakparent.org
P&A: Disability Law Colorado - disabilitylawco.org
PTI: CT Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) - cpacinc.org
P&A: Disability Rights Connecticut - disrightsct.org
PTI: Parent Information Center of Delaware (PIC) - picofdel.org
P&A: Disability Rights Delaware - disabilityrightsde.org
PTI: Family Network on Disabilities - fndusa.org
P&A: Disability Rights Florida - disabilityrightsflorida.org
PTI: Parent to Parent of Georgia - p2pga.org
P&A: Georgia Advocacy Office - thegao.org
PTI: AWARE (Assets for Work, Advocacy, Rights & Education) - ldahawaii.org
P&A: Disability Rights Hawaii - disabilityrightshawaii.org
PTI: Idaho Parents Unlimited (IPUL) - ipulidaho.org
P&A: Disability Rights Idaho - disabilityrightsidaho.org
PTI: Family Resource Center on Disabilities - frcd.org
P&A: Equip for Equality - equipforequality.org
PTI: IN*SOURCE (Indiana Resource Center for Families with Special Needs) - insource.org
P&A: Indiana Disability Rights - indianadisabilityrights.org
PTI: ASK Resource Center - askresource.org
P&A: Disability Rights Iowa - disabilityrightsiowa.org
PTI: Families Together - familiestogetherinc.org
P&A: Disability Rights Center of Kansas - drckansas.org
PTI: Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network (KY-SPIN) - kyspin.com
P&A: Kentucky Protection and Advocacy - kypa.net
PTI: Families Helping Families (multiple regional centers across the state)
P&A: Advocacy Center Louisiana - advocacyla.org
PTI: Maine Parent Federation - mpf.org
P&A: Disability Rights Maine - drme.org
PTI: Parents' Place of Maryland - ppmd.org
P&A: Disability Rights Maryland - disabilityrightsmd.org
PTI: Federation for Children with Special Needs - fcsn.org
P&A: Disability Law Center - dlc-ma.org
PTI: Michigan Alliance for Families - michiganallianceforfamilies.org
P&A: Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service (MPAS) - mpas.org
PTI: PACER Center - pacer.org
P&A: Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid / Minnesota Disability Law Center - mylegalaid.org
PTI: EMPOWER Mississippi - empowerms.org
P&A: Disability Rights Mississippi - disabilityrightms.org
PTI: Missouri Parents Act (MPACT) - missouriparentsact.org
P&A: Disability Rights Missouri - modrn.org
PTI: Parents Let's Unite for Kids (PLUK) - pluk.org
P&A: Disability Rights Montana - disabilityrightsmt.org
PTI: PTI Nebraska - pti-nebraska.org
P&A: Disability Rights Nebraska - disabilityrightsnebraska.org
PTI: Nevada PEP (Parents Encouraging Parents) - nvpep.org
P&A: Disability Rights Nevada - disabilityrightsnv.org
PTI: Parent Information Center (PIC) - picnh.org
P&A: Disability Rights Center - New Hampshire - drcnh.org
PTI: Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) - spanadvocacy.org
P&A: Disability Rights New Jersey - drnj.org
PTI: Parents Reaching Out (PRO) - parentsreachingout.org
P&A: Disability Rights New Mexico - drnm.org
PTI: Sinergia/Metropolitan Parent Center - sinergiany.org
Additional PTIs: INCLUDEnyc (includenyc.org), Parent Network of WNY (parentnetworkwny.org)
P&A: Disability Rights New York - drny.org
PTI: Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC) - ecac-parentcenter.org
P&A: Disability Rights North Carolina - disabilityrightsnc.org
PTI: Pathfinder Parent Center - pathfinder-nd.org
P&A: Protection and Advocacy Project (ND) - ndpanda.org
PTI: OCECD (Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities) - ocecd.org
P&A: Disability Rights Ohio - disabilityrightsohio.org
PTI: Oklahoma Parents Center - oklahomaparentscenter.org
P&A: Disability Rights Oklahoma - oklahomadisabilityrights.org
PTI: Oregon Family to Family Health Information Center / FACT Oregon - factoregon.org
P&A: Disability Rights Oregon - droregon.org
PTI: Parent Education Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) serves VA; for PA: Mentor Parent Program - mentorparent.org, and HUNE (Hispanic community)
P&A: Disability Rights Pennsylvania - disabilityrightspa.org
PTI: Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) - ripin.org
P&A: Disability Rights Rhode Island - drri.org
PTI: Family Connection of South Carolina - familyconnectionsc.org
P&A: Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities (SC) - pandasc.org
PTI: South Dakota Parent Connection - sdparent.org
P&A: Disability Rights South Dakota - drsdlaw.org
PTI: Support and Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP) - tnstep.org
P&A: Disability Rights Tennessee - disabilityrightstn.org
PTI: Partners Resource Network - partnerstx.org
P&A: Disability Rights Texas - disabilityrightstx.org
PTI: Utah Parent Center - utahparentcenter.org
P&A: Disability Law Center (Utah) - disabilitylawcenter.org
PTI: Vermont Family Network - vermontfamilynetwork.org
P&A: Disability Rights Vermont - disabilityrightsvt.org
PTI: Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) - peatc.org
P&A: disAbility Law Center of Virginia - dlcv.org
PTI: PAVE (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment) - wapave.org
P&A: Disability Rights Washington - disabilityrightswa.org
PTI: Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE) - aje-dc.org
P&A: University Legal Services (DC) - uls-dc.org
PTI: West Virginia Parent Training and Information (WVPTI) - wvpti.org
P&A: Disability Rights West Virginia - drofwv.org
PTI: Wisconsin FACETS - wifacets.org
P&A: Disability Rights Wisconsin - disabilityrightswi.org
PTI: Wyoming Parent Information Center (WPIC) - wpic.org
P&A: Protection and Advocacy System (Wyoming) - wypanda.com
In addition to PTIs, the Department of Education funds Community Parent Resource Centers that serve parents of children with disabilities in underserved communities. CPRCs often focus on specific cultural, linguistic, or geographic communities. To find a CPRC near you, visit the Center for Parent Information and Resources directory at parentcenterhub.org.
Every state's department of education has a division or office responsible for special education. These offices administer IDEA at the state level, handle state complaints, and provide information about state-specific regulations. Search for "[your state] department of education special education" to find your state's office.
Many local legal aid organizations provide free legal assistance to low-income families in special education matters. Contact your state or local bar association for referrals, or search the Legal Services Corporation directory at lsc.gov.
Several law schools operate special education clinics where supervised law students provide free legal representation to families. Search for "[your state] law school special education clinic" or contact your nearest law school.