Statewide Advocacy Network on Disabilities, Inc. (STAND)

Address: PO Box 172236
Tampa, FL 33672-0236 Phone: (813) 258-5700 Website: http://fchr.state.fl.us/fchr/outreach/community_resource_map/district_3/hillsborough_county__5/disability_services/statewide_advocacy_network_on_disabilities_inc_stand

STatewide Advocacy Network on Disabilities, or STAND for short, is a non-for-profit organization based in Florida. STAND was started in December of 1996 by a diverse, educated group of parents and attorneys who recognized that children with disabilities are misunderstood in the community, by both education professionals and lay persons alike.  Opportunities to obtain appropriate education for children who are differently abled can mean the difference between independence and dependence as adults.  Recognizing the educational needs of children with disabilities will make a lifetime of difference.

STAND's purpose it to inform the families of children with disabilities of their rights. We are dedicated to getting a child with a disability the right education that he or she is entitled to under the law. The three main laws that STAND is concerned with are: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973. STAND is concerned with three main topics: advocacy, legal rights, and above all, education. We are the only organization across the nation that provides certification for special education advocacy for all children with disabilities.