A Voice for All

by Joan Ryan

As recently as 1987, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) was still seriously misunderstood by many. Often children and adults with AD/HD were wrongly labeled behavior problems, unmotivated or not intelligent. There were very few places one could turn to for information or assistance. In response to the frustration and sense of isolation experienced by parents and their children with AD/HD, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorders (CHADD) was founded.

Today, children and adults with AD/HD have a national organization with over 30,000 members and more than 420 chapters nationwide to provide that support and information. Thanks in large part to the efforts of CHADD, AD/HD is now recognized as a treatable, yet potentially serious disorder that affects 3 to 5 percent of children (ages 5-18), continuing into adulthood for up to 70 percent. Children with AD/HD can now receive special education services or accommodations within the regular classroom when needed, and adults with AD/HD may be eligible for accommodations in the workplace under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 1997.

Inspiration and Support

CHADD’s success was inspired by the desire of countless parents who wanted their children with AD/HD to succeed. From one parent support group in Florida, the organization has grown dramatically from year to year, to its present status as the leading nonprofit national organization for children and adults with AD/HD.

Despite its growth in size and reputation, CHADD has not lost the passion and commitment of its founders. The organization still relies heavily on dedicated volunteers around the country who offer their support and encouragement to all those living with or affected by AD/HD.

CHADD at Work

CHADD maintains a support network for parents who have children with AD/HD as well as adults with AD/HD, and provides a forum for continuing education about the disability for children and adults with AD/HD and parents and professionals as well. CHADD works as a community resource and is committed to providing the best educational experience available so the specific difficulties of children with AD/HD will be recognized and appropriately managed within educational settings.

The association is at the forefront of publishing and disseminating the most current and authoritative information about AD/HD to its members and a wide range of professionals in medicine, psychology, education, law and other professions. Through a professional advisory board of top experts in the field, the organization is kept abreast of thelatest developments regarding all aspects of AD/HD, including:



This group of renowned experts regularly contributes articles to CHADD’s quarterly magazine.

CHADD also publishes a quarterly newsletter with information about the people, programs and services that make CHADD work person-to-person and chapter-to-chapter. Other publications include the CHADD “Educators Manual,” a book written for teachers that includes an in-depth examination of AD/HD in the classroom and concrete suggestions for effectively teaching a child with AD/HD. It is one of the most widely read publications about AD/HD and education. In 1996, CHADD published “ADD and Adolescence,” a collection of the most authoritative articles on this subject. In response to increased demand for information about adult AD/HD, it published “ADD and Adults: Strategies for Success” in 1997. Experts estimate that up to 70 percent of children with AD/HD still manifest symptoms in adulthood.

Each year, CHADD sponsors the world’s pre-eminent conference on AD/HD, bringing together thousands of parents, scientists, healthcare professionals and other experts whose work involves people with AD/HD.

Advocacy

CHADD is the only national organization representing individuals with AD/HD with a full-time advocate in Washington, DC. The director of government relations works to build relationships with the United States Congress and administrative agencies such as the Department of Education, Health and Human Services and Defense in order to present the organization’s perspective on legislation and policies affecting individuals with AD/HD. CHADD has also joined forces with other national disability, education and mental health organizations through coalitions in order to maximize the impact on federal policy.

In 1991, CHADD was instrumental in advocating for the development of the 1991 Policy Clarification Memorandum on AD/HD. This specified that children with AD/HD may qualify for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act solely on the basis of their AD/HD when it impairs educational performance or learning.

CHADD played a strong role in the 1997 reauthorization of the IDEA, as well as in the passage of the Mental Health Parity Amendment in 1996. CHADD members are encouraged to get involved with government relations and let their members of Congress know how bills under consideration would affect their lives and the lives of their children.

Grassroots advocacy also plays an important role in CHADD’s efforts to protect the rights of individuals with AD/HD. The CHADD Volunteer Action Network links volunteers across the country to every member of Congress. Through letters, phone calls and visits, volunteers work to see that state legislators and governments enact policies that will positively impact the lives of those with AD/HD.B

For more information about AD/HD or CHADD, visit the CHADD website at www.chadd.org, call 301/306-7070, or write to:

CHADD,
8181 Professional Place,
Suite 201,
Landover, MD   20785.

© 1998 Targeted Publications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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