John Hays – Parent Liaison
218-376-4650 877-454-KIDS (toll free)
hayskids@frontiernet.net
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Counties Social
Services Phone #s
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Itasca
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218-327-2941
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Koochiching
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218-283-7000
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Itasca Resource Centers
Located in: Bigfork, Deer River, Grand Rapids (Main Office), and Nashwauk/Keewatin
The Itasca Resource Center, located in Grand Rapids houses the "parent" offices
of Itasca County Health and Human Services (Public Health, Social Services, Financial
Services), Independent School District 318 Early Childhood Family Education and
Early Childhood Special Education, First Call for Help of Itasca County, KOOTASCA
Community Action, Inc. (fuel assistance, Head Start, weatherization, etc.).
www.co.itasca.mn.us/
KOOCHICHING COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES
Koochiching County Community Services is directed by law to protect vulnerable adults
and children, to help the elderly and disabled, and to assist those citizens whose
personal or family resources are not adequate to meet their basic human needs. In
partnership with other public and private agencies, we are committed to help our
citizens to attain the maximum degree of self-sufficiency consistent with their
individual capabilities. To these ends, we will promote the dignity, safety and
rights of the individual; we will work to strengthen the family; and we will assure
public accountability and trust through responsible use of available resources.
Cindy Ellefson-Oswald - Social Services Supervisor
Phone: 218 283-7009
Email: cindy.oswald@co.koochiching.mn.us
www.co.koochiching.mn.us/dept/com_serv/comservmain.htm
Quick Index
- Adoption/Kinship/Parenting
Supports
- Behavioral/Special
Needs Supports (Mental Health)
- Education
Supports
- Crisis/Respite
Care Supports
- Therapists
Adoption/Kinship/Parenting Supports
MN Kinship Caregivers Association (MKCA)
See listing of Host Agencies and Kinship Network.
Host Agencies are the regional contact point for inquires from and for grandparents,
other relatives, and close family friends who are raising children. The Host Agencies
reach out to relative caregivers within the designated area with the assistance
of local collaborative partners. They accept program inquiries within their area;
implement monthly Grand Kin workshops, which will include educational and peer support
elements throughout their region and refer caregivers to one-to-one support of mentors.
The Kinship Network includes support groups that are not designated Host
Agencies, but may work collaboratively with the Host Agencies in providing support
to the caregivers of children.
1600 University Avenue West, Suite 302
St. Paul, MN 55104
651-917-4640
www.mkca.org
Contact a Regional Service Agency for information on services closest to your home
or work at www.mkca.org/support.html
Kinship Caregivers Resource Manual: "Legal Steps",
provides information for any caregivers or kin who are considering taking a child
into their care. Find it at:
www.mkca.org/legal.html
Another helpful manual is "First Steps: Getting Started Raising Relatives’ Children".
Developed for grandparents and others raising relatives’ children:
www.mkca.org/raising.html
AEOA-ROCK Program
702 Third Ave S
Virginia, MN 55792
Marcia Mehle
1-800-748-7354
1-218-749-2912 ext. 254
mmehle@AEOA.org
Behavioral/Special Needs Supports (Mental Health)
Arc Range
Arc Range serves Itasca and Koochiching Counties, and the Northern portion of St.
Louis County.
President: Donna Haapala
Staff: Diane Mikolich, 703 Garfield St., Eveleth, MN; 55734; 218-744-5737
E-mail: miko@2z.net
www.arcminnesota.com
ARC Minnesota
provides advocacy and support for people with developmental disabilities and their
families. Services include technical assistance, educational programs for parents
and resource center with a lending video library. ARC’s Bemidji office operates
a Assistive Technology Lending
Library and sponsors clinics and training sessions on assistive technology.
The Arc of Minnesota provides chapter support to
local Arc chapters in a number of areas, including developing support
services, sponsoring workshops, fundraising, training leaders, and monitoring local
services for people with developmental disabilities.
770 Transfer Rd., Suite 26, St. Paul, Minnesota 55114
651-523-0823; toll-free 1-800-582-5256
E-mail address: mail@arcminnesota.com
Itasca County Family Services Collaborative
Strives to assist families to maintain in their homes, schools, and communities.
20483 Mishawaka Shores Dr
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Phone: 218-326-6284
Koochiching Family Collaborative
1000 5th St, Suite 210
International Falls, MN 56649
Phone: 218-283-7057
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
FASD Support Group – Virginia, MN
Support group facilitator, John Hays, has 13 children through adoption, 9 diagnosed
with FASD. Learn the successful techniques of parenting and educating, life planning,
financial need, crafts, assisted living center.
John Hays
218-376-4650
877-454-KIDS (toll free)
www.hayskids.com
North Homes - Grand Rapids
North Homes provides a continuum of services including adoption, professional emergency
foster care and residential treatment. Support and advocacy is offered to children
and families impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
218-327-3000
888-430-3055
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Assessment
ARC Northland
FASD Support Groups, Assessment, Training Services for the residents of Northeastern
Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. Diagnostic services are provided by a seven-person
comprehensive team of professionals. ARC sponsors two caregiver support groups for
those who are caring for individuals with FASD.
The groups meet in Duluth and Cloquet.
424 W Superior Street
201 Ordean Building
Duluth, MN 55802
218-726-4725 or 800-317-6475
218-726-4732 Fax
Reenie Engstrom, Coordinator
Lynne R. Frigaard, Administrator
Fetal Alcohol Diagnostic Program
Provides FASD diagnostic services for children up to age 17.
424 West Superior Street
Suite 400V
Duluth MN 55802
218-726-4858
www.fadpmn.org
FAS Assessment Clinic-Pediatric Psychology
University Gateway, Suite 160
200 Oak Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Pi-Nian Chang, Ph.D
612-626-3087
Education Supports
PACER Center
PACER Center expands opportunities and enhances the quality of life of children
and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents
helping parents. PACER helps parents to work with schools to attain special education
services as proscribed through the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). PACER offers:
- Resources for information and advocacy on issues of special educational needs of
children
- Classes on what parents need to know about IEPs and 504 Plans.
- Support groups and an in-house lending library for children with learning disabilities.
- The PACER newsletter, THE PACESETTER, contains ongoing information and legislative
updates.
- PACER offers training seminars on a number of issues related to parenting and the
newest adaptive technology. They will provide an advocate to attend I.E.P. meetings.
8161 Normandale Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55437-1044
Voice: 952-838-9000, toll-free: 1-800-537-2237
Fax, 962-838-0199
E-mail:
pacer@pacer.org
Website:
www.pacer.org
Bullying Prevention
PACER bullying prevention web site:
www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org, helps second through sixth-graders find
ways to respond to and to prevent bullying. Includes games, videos with celebrities
and real-life kids, cartoons, polls, artwork and much more. Geared for all children,
the site includes children with disabilities who can be particularly vulnerable
to bullying.
Minnesota Department of Education, Division of Special Education
1500 Highway 36 West
Roseville, MN 55113-4266
(651) 582-8289; (651) 582-8201 (TTY)
E-mail: norena.hale@state.mn.us
Web:
Special Education Division
Minnesota Special Education Website
www.educationminnesota.org/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=328
Special Education Compliance
app.education.state.mn.us/WebsiteContent/ComplianceSearch.jsp
Special Education Complaints
Complaints
The Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health
165 Western Avenue, Suite 2
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 644-7333; (800) 528-4511 (In MN)
E-mail: dsaxhaug@macmh.org
Web: www.macmh.org/
Crisis/Respite Care Supports
NAMI-Minnesota (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
Throughout Minnesota, NAMI-MN and its local affiliates have people working to better
the lives of people affected by biological brain disorders. NAMI-MN encourages people
to join at a local affiliate level and reminds people that membership at any level
means membership at all levels -local, state, and national. Please contact the affiliate
nearest you for additional information or contact the NAMI-MN office at 651-645-2948
or 1-888-473-0237
nami-mn@nami.org
www.nami.org to find local
affiliates
First Call for Help Information & Referral
326-8565 or 1-800-442-8565
Therapists
Disclaimer
The use of the information
on this site is strictly up to the discretion of the user. MN ASAP has not investigated
and does not endorse the resources listed on this Website; MN ASAP is not responsible
for the contents of any outside sites through any external links provided; nor are
the links an endorsement of the external site as to quality, accuracy or completeness.