About Us

SERVICES

We are a Community Parent Resource Center serving families who have Native American children with disabilities or developmental delays in NM, including those with special healthcare needs, and the professionals that work with them.

TRAINING

We provide FREE community training for families in several topical areas such as Overview of IDEA, the IEP & IFSP Process, Record Keeping, Transition from Part C to Part B, Transition from High School, Transition from Middle School, Bullying, Parent Rights in both Part C & B, and Advocacy. We work collaboratively with Early Intervention agencies, Head Start, Early Head Start, BIE-FACE, Tribal Education Departments, Tribal ICWA, Public Schools, BIE Grant/Contract Schools & BIE Operated Schools, and other agencies and service providers serving American Indian children and families. Parents and Professionals can request training.

ADVOCACY

We provide ongoing advocacy support, helping families make informed and relevant decisions best for their children and their family. Our staff maintains contact with families who request our services; such as, one-on-one IEP or IFSP consultations, writing letters to schools, requesting information, understanding their Rights & Procedural Safeguards, and assisting them in finding the leaders within themselves so they in turn become stronger advocates for their children, as well as helping their children become self-advocates.

PARENT-TO-PARENT CONNECTION

We provide parent-to-parent connections by matching parents with others who have or share similar experiences to provide advice, support, generate ideas and create a stronger support-system. We have a cohort of family leaders who have attended most of our training, have gone through leadership development and have experience in navigating the early intervention, special education, general education and healthcare systems. Parents can call us and ask to be matched with a family.

RESOURCE & REFERRAL

Our resource library is currently in its development stage, but parents can come to our library and use our (internet ready) computers to look up resources and write letters during our regular business hours of 8:00am – 4:30pm Monday to Fridays. We can also provide information on resources, topics, and networks.

Volunteer

Become a volunteer and make a difference in our Native American Special Needs families. Click the link below to download our volunteer form. 
Download Volunteer Form

Board of Directors

Board President
Monica Yazzie
Navajo/Oglala Sioux
Board Vice-President
Miltina R. Chee
Navajo
Board Secretary/Treasurer
Janice Yazzie
Navajo
Board Member
Judito Camacho
Asian/Filipino
Board Member
Barbara J. Van Valen
Board Member
Ronda Hosteen
Navajo

EPICS Staff

Melissa Wassana
Executive Director
Sacheen Dana-Begay
Training Specialist
LaAnnaya Natan
Administrative Assistant
Denise Yazzie
Training Specialist
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