Iowa State Disability Resources

Complete update - 6/2007
Partial update - 1/3/2008

The offices listed on this state sheet are primarily state-level offices. Even if an office is not close to your home, they can usually put you in touch with resources in your community, as well as provide you with information and assistance about disability issues in your state. If you find that an address or number has changed or is incorrect, please e-mail us at nichcy@aed.org and let us know.

Age of Eligibility

Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.

State Agencies and Organizations

United States Senators
Honorable Charles E. Grassley (R)
135 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3744
(202) 224-6020 (Fax)
E-mail Web Form:http://grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Web: http://grassley.senate.gov

Honorable Tom Harkin (D)
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3254
(202) 224-9369 (Fax)
E-mail Web Form: http://harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm
Web: http://harkin.senate.gov

United States Representatives
To find the contact information for your representative in the House of the U.S. Congress, visit the HouseÕs Web site at: www.house.gov, or call: (202) 225-3121; (202) 225-1904 (TTY).

Governor
Honorable Chet Culver
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-5211
(515) 281-6611 (Fax)
E-mail Web Form: www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/
Web: www.governor.state.ia.us

Official State Web Site
Web: www.iowa.gov/state/main/index.html

State Department of Education: Special Education
Lana Michelson, Bureau Chief
Student and Family Support Services
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5735
E-mail: Lana.Michelson@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Pam Pfitzenmaier, Division Administrator
Early Childhood Elementary and Secondary Education
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-3333
E-mail: pam.pfitzenmaier@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate

Early Intervention System, Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2
Julie Curry, State Coordinator
Early ACCESS (IDEA, Part C)
Bureau of Early Childhood
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building, 3rd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5437
(800) 779-2001 (inquiries/referrals to early intervention)
E-mail: Julie.Curry@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/earlyaccess

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages Birth Through 5
Mary Schertz, Consultant
Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5433
E-mail: Mary.Schertz@iowa.gov
Web: www.iowa.gov/educate

State Vocational Rehabilitation
Stephen A. Wooderson, Administrator
Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Department of Education
510 E. 12th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-6731; (800) 532-1486
E-mail: stephen.wooderson@iowa.gov
Web: www.ivrs.iowa.gov

Coordinator for Transition Services
Barbara Guy, State Transition Coordinator
Transition and Work Experience
Bureau of Family and Student Support Services
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
400 E. 14th Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5265
E-mail: Barbara.Guy@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/

Office of State Coordinator of Vocational Education for Students with Disabilities
Dr. Jan Friedel, Administrator
Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation
Bureau of Community Colleges & Career and Technical Education
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-8260
E-mail: stephanie.weeks@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate/

Employment Rights for People with Disabilities
Jill Avery, Administrator
Division of Persons with Disabilities
Department of Human Rights
Lucas State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(888) 219-0471 (V/TTY)
E-mail: dhr.disabilities@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/dhr/

State Mental Health Agency
Allen W. Parks, Ed.D., Administrator
State Mental Health Agency/State DD Program
Division of Mental Health and Disability Services
Department of Human Services
Hoover State Office Building, 5th Floor
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0114
(515) 281-0377
E-mail: aparks@dhs.state.ia.us
Web: www.dhs.state.ia.us

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth
Mary Mohrhauser, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Specialist
State Mental Health Agency/State DD Program
Mental Health and Disabilities Services
Department of Human Services
Hoover State Office Building, 5th Floor
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319-0114
(515) 242-6845
E-mail: mmohrha@dhs.state.ia.us
Web: www.dhs.state.ia.us

Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Becky Harker, Executive Director
Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council
617 E. Second Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 281-9083
E-mail: bharker@dhs.state.ia.us
Web: www.state.ia.us/government/ddcouncil/

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Sylvia Piper, Executive Director
Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc.
950 Office Park Road, Suite 221
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 278-2502; (800) 779-2502
(515) 278-0571 (TTY); (866) 483-3342 (TTY)
E-mail: info@ipna.org
Web: www.ipna.org

Client Assistance Program
Jackie Witterman, Consultant
Department of Human Rights
Division of Persons with Disability
Client Assistance Program
Capitol Complex, Lucas Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-3656; (800) 652-4298 (V/TTY)
E-mail: jackie.witterman@iowa.gov

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Jeffrey G. Lobas, M.D., Director
Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics
100 Hawkins Drive, Room 247
Iowa City, IA 52242-1011
(319) 356-1118; (866) 219-9119
E-mail: jeffrey-lobas@uiowa.edu
Web: www.uihealthcare.com/chsc

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
hawk-i Program
P.O. Box 71336
Des Moines, IA 50325-9958
(800) 257-8563
Web: www.hawk-i.org/

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired or Deaf-Blind
Allen C. Harris, Director
Iowa Department for the Blind
524 Fourth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-2364
(515) 281-1333; (515) 281-1355 (TTY)
E-mail: harris.allen@blind.state.ia.us
Web: www.blind.state.ia.us

Programs for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing - Junior Commission Program
Kathryn Baumann-Reese, Administrator
Deaf Services Commission of Iowa
Iowa Department of Human Rights
Lucas State Office Building, 2nd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-3164 (V/TTY); (888) 221-3724 (V/TTY)
E-mail: dhr.dsci@iowa.gov
Web: http://www.state.ia.us/government/dhr/ds/Webpages/NEW.JCP.htm

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 735-2943 (V)
(800) 735-2942 (V/TTY); 711 (TTY)
(877) 735-1007 (Speech to Speech)

Regional ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center
Jim de Jong, Director
ADA and I.T. Center
DBTAC - Great Plains ADA Center
University of Missouri/Columbia
100 Corporate Lake Drive
Columbia, MO 65203
(573) 882-3600 (V/TTY); (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: ada@missouri.edu
Web: www.adaproject.org

University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Robert Bacon, M.A., Director
Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Disabilities
Center for Disabilities and Development
100 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 356-1335
E-mail: robert-bacon@uiowa.edu
Web: www.healthcare.uiowa.edu/cdd/index.asp

Technology-Related Assistance
Jane Gay, Director
Iowa Program for Assistive Technology
Center for Disabilities and Development
The University of Iowa
100 Hawkins Drive, S295
Iowa City, IA 52242-1011
(319) 353-8777; (800) 331-3027 (V)
(877) 686-0032 (TTY)
E-mail: iowa-compass@uiowa.edu
Web: www.uiowa.edu/infotech/

State Mediation System
Dee Ann Wilson, Consultant
Department of Education
Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-5766
E-mail: DeeAnn.Wilson@iowa.gov
Web: www.state.ia.us/educate

Special Format Library
Karen Keninger, Librarian
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Iowa Department for the Blind
524 Fourth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-2364
(515) 281-1333; (800) 362-2587
(515) 281-1355 (TTY)
E-mail: keninger.karen@blind.state.ia.us
Web: www.blind.state.ia.us/library/