Provides legal services & advocacy to individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and other disabilities on issues related to the disability; includes special education, housing discrimination, employment discrimination, assistive technology, access to mental health services, public benefits, access to public buildings and programs, voting rights, etc.

Provides advocates trained in special education law and state regulations in both New Hampshire and Vermont regarding IEPs (Individual Education Program) as well as 504 Plans (a section of the 504 Rehabilitation Act of 1973). Advocates facilitate a positive and productive collaboration between all members of the child’s special education or 504 team that includes parents and all the school staff.

The Educational Surrogate Parent Program provides educationally disabled children, throughout the state, who need special education and their parent(s) or guardian is unknown or unavailable, or after reasonable efforts cannot be located or the child is in custody or guardianship of the state, with an educational surrogate parent to act as the child’s educational decision-maker in the special education process.

Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, families, and community. Services includes: Information Referral; Service Coordination / Advocacy Case Management; Support Group Information and social group; Support for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students NH Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Initiative Project; Family Sign Language Program; Interpreter Referral / Cart Referral and Emergency Medical Interpreting Services (EMIS); Deaf Blind Communication Equipment Program; Equipment and Material Loans Assistive listening devices, TTY, and resource materials for loan; Outreach Services/Community Education

NEC provides training and technical assistance, disseminates information regarding evidenced-based practices, provides parent training and networking activities, and collaborates with local and state agencies serving children who are deafblind or at-risk.