No one plans to have a child with a disability. For most people, the discovery that a child has cerebral palsy or another disability forces the family to find resources and assistance. This is particularly true if the cerebral palsy was due to medical malpractice. In such situations, Gershon, Willoughby, Getz & Smith, LLC offers support and assistance to families. We help families in Iowa to obtain the financial remuneration to which the child is entitled as a result of medical malpractice.

In addition to our services, there are many other organizations and companies in Iowa who can offer their guidance and assistance.  Here, we’ve listed a few of these choices to help families in time of need.

Cerebral Palsy Resources in Iowa

Exceptional Persons, Inc.
Exceptional Persons (aka EPI), is non-profit, private, charitable organization committed to serving persons with disabilities and families in the community seeking child care.  There are two main groups of people this organization serves: individuals with disabilities and families who have special needs for their children.

Cerebral Palsy and Intellectual Disabilities

The main function of CedarNet is to develop and maintain an electronic information network to serve the community. This offers open access to electronic resources for those suffering from various disabilities, and their families, in the Black Hawk County and associated regions.  Through this, we attempt to bring together the individuals and organizations in the region so that they can better network and share resources.  As well, we provide a referral bonus when our services are recommended by our members.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa (LDA-IA)
The LDA-IA seeks to “advance the education and general welfare of children and youth of normal, near-normal, and potentially normal intelligence who have learning disabilities of a perceptual, conceptual, or coordinative nature, or any combination thereof, or any combination thereof together with other related problems that handicap such children and youth in learning through the normal or accepted processes; and further to aid and help such children and youth to develop to their individual maximum potential; and to have unlimited power to engage in, and to do any lawful act concerning any and all lawful businesses, enterprises, transactions, and any other matters which will advance the purpose of this corporation or which are allowed by law.”

Other Resources for Assistance with Cerebral Palsy
State Department of Education: Special Education
Jeananne Hagen, Bureau Chief
Bureau of Family and Community Services
Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3-5
Mary Schertz, Consultant
Bureau of Family and Community Services
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-5433

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth-2
Lynn Cook Pletcher, Part C Coordinator
Early Access
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319-0146
(515) 281-7145

State Developmental Disabilities Program
Harold Templeman, Administrator
Division of Mental Health and DD Iowa
Department of Human Services
Hoover State Office Building
1305 E. Walnut
Des Moines, IA 50319-0114
(515) 281-5126

Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
Becky Harker, Executive Director
Governor’s DD Council
617 E. Second Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 281-9083

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Mervin L. Roth, Executive Director
Iowa Protection and Advocacy Services, Inc.
3015 Merle Hay Road, Suite 6
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 278-2502; (515) 278-0571 (TTY); (800) 779-2502

Client Assistance Program
Harlietta Helland, Consultant
Dept. Human Rights
Div. Persons with Disability
Client Assistance Program
Capitol Complex, Lucas Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515) 281-3957; (800) 652-4198 (V/TTY)

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Jeffrey G. Lobras, M.D., Director
Iowa Child Health Specialty Clinics
University Hospital School
100 Hawkins Drive, Room 247
Iowa City, IA 52242-1011
(319) 356-1118

Regional ADA Technical Assistance Agency
Jim de Jong, Director
Great Plains DBTAC
University of Missouri/Columbia
100 Corporate Lake Drive
Columbia, MO 65203
(573) 882-3600; (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)

Web: www.adaproject.org
Brain Injury
Brain Injury Association of Iowa
2101 Kimball Avenue, LL7
Waterloo, IA 50702
(319) 272-2312; (800) 475-4442
Cerebral Palsy
Chris Sparks, Executive Director
Iowa Cerebral Palsy Association
760 Ansborough Avenue
Box 4090
Waterloo, IA 50704-4090
(319) 232-6671

University Affiliated Program
Robert Bacon, M.D., Director
Iowa University Affiliated Program
University Hospital School
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 353-6390

Technology Related Assistance
Mary Quigley, Co-Director
Jane Gay, Co-Director
Iowa Program for Assistive Technology
Iowa University Affiliated Program, UHS
100 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242-1011
(800) 331-3027 (V/TTY); (319) 356-0550