Other Resources and Publications

The collection of links below can assist both families and congregations with information as well as insight.
Many have downloadable materials or resources.

• Information on the Americans with Disabilities Act  (also in Spanish)
• ELCA Accessibility Guide: Planning An Accessible Meeting
• ELCA Braille and Tape Ministry
• Lutheran Network for Mental Illness/Brain Disorders
• A simplified Lutheran (WELS) Catechism
• Independent Living is a practical site specific to people who use wheelchairs for mobility but want to look good doing it.
• Shepherds College in Union Grove, Wis., is a Christian post-secondary school for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Life skills training, basic academic instruction, and spiritual growth classes are integral components of this three-year program. Two major fields of study are horticulture and culinary arts.
• Search for the specific special need in which you are concerned at the Mayo Clinic site.

Publications

• Breakthrough is the quarterly magazine of Bethesda Lutheran Home and Services, Inc.. It provides inspiration and ideas for congregations and teachers serving people with developmental disabilities. For a free subscription, call 800-369-4636 ext. 3817, e-mail breakthrough@blhs.org, or read it online.
• Parenting Children with Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Raising Kids with Chronic Illness, Medical Conditions, and Special Healthcare Needs, by Foster W. Cline and Lisa Greene, emphasizes raising resilient children.
• The Child with Special Needs: Encouraging Intellectual and Emotional Growth, by Stanley I. Greenspan, Serena Weider, and Robin Simons defies the tradition of standardized treatment programs, teaching parents/caregivers to assess children individually.
• The Disabled God, by Nancy L. Eiesland and Rebecca S. Chopp is one of the best books on theology and people with disabilities that you will ever read.