Lotsa Helping Hands

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In the United States of America, individuals with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities are protected by a variety of laws that provide entitlements that safeguard and promote their health, welfare, and independence. Legislation came into being because of the work of disability advocacy groups across the country. Explore this section to learn more about programs, agencies, resource centers, and special interest groups who promote accessibility, inclusion, and equality for individuals living with a spinal cord injury.

Scroll through the resources below to identify various Disability Resource Centers that serve as clearinghouses of disability-specific information. These include sources for health and patient advocates who can help you navigate the complexities of the health care system. Learn about self-advocacy across a spectrum of needs – medical, psychological, social, emotional, recreational, and vocational. Understand how to find healthcare providers and identify additional support through community-based disability groups.

This section also includes state-wide disability action centers and alliances involved in promoting and ensuring civil rights for people with disabilities. These include state-wide Centers for Independent Living (CIL), National Spinal Cord Injury Association chapters, Family Caregiver Alliances and foundations that support spinal cord injury recovery. These groups provide transition support and counseling for housing, home-based services, personal assistants, and other legal services. Centers for Independent Living and Spinal Cord Associations also provide peer mentoring programs for youth and adults.

Lotsa Helping Hands Now when someone asks, “What can I do?” there’s an easily accessible answer. Through this website, you can develop a community of people to help care for a loved one. Users create a personal website and invite others to join and stay updated on the needs of the individual requires help. Within the site is a calendar that keeps track of tasks that need to be done. Each member is able to sign up for different jobs, so caregiving responsibilities are shared and addressed within the group. Scroll through How it Works to better understand the details of this easy to use application.