Advocacy Solutions of Maryland
advocacy and consulting
for individuals and families with special needs
You have The Right To Have More Choice and Control Over Your Services.
Advocating for the Rights of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Welcome To Melisa Wilson’s Advocacy and Consulting Services
Our Vision is to be the voice of people with disabilities, and special needs, a community that often goes unnoticed and underserved.
Begin Your Next Level in Your Self- Advocacy Journey –
Now is Your Time to Be informed and Take Action!
Our Services are Creatively Designed to Help Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in waiver programs seeking to self direct their services through Self Directed Services. Self-direction gives waiver participants and families greater control over the services they receive, how they receive them, and who provides them. At the same time, people who self-direct must be willing to take on the responsibility of managing their services. For services you choose to self-direct.
We believe people with disabilities deserve the opportunity to direct their own support while maintaining or improving their quality of life in their homes and in their community.
Initial Set Up Process
Support Groups
Recruiting Caregivers
Youth to Adult Program Transitions
Connection to Employment Opportunities
Long Term Goal Setting & Self Advocacy Program
Generating personal-centered plans. Solving Big Problems.
With over 27 years of experience, creating personal center plans and developing researched- based individualized programs, Advocacy Solutions of Maryland can assist with resolving your problems, help you get started on the clear and concise pathway for the child (or young adult) to thrive, obtain independence and to live a more meaningful and productive life.
If you are:
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A family with a Youth transitioning out of high school or a Traditional Day Program looking for the next steps of your child’s journey and don’t know of the process, the paperwork, the steps that need to be done?
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A professional mom with busy work routines and need assistance with planning and finding the appropriate programs or support for your child (or young adult) after completing a traditional program (or school setting).
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A parent having challenges with creating effective community or “out of the home” connections to fulfill social engagement and financial needs of your children.
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An individual with intellectual or physical disabilities who needs support in self-advocating for their own rights, but doesn’t know where to start or how to get the right support
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Frustrated, feeling helpless and stuck in a box, trying to follow one track and don’t know that there are options.
Independence Does Not Just Happen –
We Have to Work Together to Create IT-
Projects
Satisfied Clients
Ongoing Projects
Cups Of Coffee
Melisa Wilson – Certified Support Broker with the State of Maryland-Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA).
Melisand (Melisa) Wilson is a mother of one, AMAZING thriving 27 year old son born with Cerebral Palsy. She is passionate about advocating for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities. Giving a voice to a community that often goes unnoticed and underserved.
Having a son with Intellectual and physical disabilities has brought many roadblocks and detours. Melisa saw many deficits and lack of services for her son and his peers, after being frustrated with overcrowding, under staffing, and unclean day centers, she decided to advocate for global change, not for only her family, but others. Further educating herself on navigating other waivers and programs, for her son to have a more meaningful life, well into adulthood.
After her son, Gersham, graduated from Surrattsville High School, in Clinton Maryland, a whole new world opened up.
Developmentally disabled adults at the age 21 are considered too old for public school and are no longer eligible for special education services.
Gone, too, are the comforting routines, structured environment and social interaction of the school day. Once kids graduate from high school there are no longer “Entitled” they have to be “Eligible” for services. being proactive is key”. Transitioning her son into a traditional day program was just the first step after researching other options and connecting with other special needs parents she discovered Self-Direction (SDS) A Community Options Waiver Program through the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)
Along with being a single mom Melisa is employed full-time with the federal government, she is a fierce advocate being a member on the DDA council board and being a certified Support Broker with the State of Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration for 5 years.
While raising her son there wasn’t a lot of assistance with navigating the transition into adulthood so I decided to be the voice for ALL families in the Special Needs community and provide the support that wasn’t readily available to me. In January 2021 she officially started her business Advocacy Solutions of Maryland. Assisting families with the youth to adult transitions from High School, Recruiting staff (and reducing staff turnover) and Long-term goal-setting, self advocacy, currently she is studying to become a provider agency to assist individuals with obtaining work through the Social Security Administration (SSA)“Ticket to Work Program” setting them up for SUCCESS! to thrive and have meaningful lives in their community.
In Melisa’s spare time she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, shopping for home Decor she enjoys meeting new people and is beginning to appreciate her love-hate relationship with working out.
We provide professional support and assistance to families with individuals with special needs
- Transitional Youth to Adult Programs DDA Waiver Programs
- Effectively connecting with employment opportunities
- Recruiting caregivers and reducing staff turnover
- Long-term Goal Setting and Self Advocacy Rights
- Support and Assistance needed in any other aspect of Daily Living
Our vision And mission
Advocacy Solutions of Maryland strives to become the voice of the people with disabilities and special needs empowering them with the strength and knowledge to be heard and help reach the desired goals. We want to represent and advocate the rights and liberties of this population that often goes unnoticed and underserved.
Our mission is to advocate for individuals and families of children or adults with intellectual developmental disabilities to lead a self-directed life by pursuing a journey of self-actualization and wellbeing by effectively transitioning into mainstream society.
Our mission is to advocate for individuals and families of children or adults with intellectual developmental disabilities to lead a self-directed life by pursuing a journey of self-actualization and wellbeing by effectively transitioning into mainstream society.
We assist families with process of transitioning from either high school into Self Direction Services or transitioning from a Traditional Day Program into The Self Direction Program.
About us:
In 2021, Advocacy Solutions for Maryland was founded by a fierce and energetic member of the society named Melisa Wilson. A zealous endeavor to help the community get educated and acquire the right knowledge needed to face the challenges to sustain in the world, while living with physical and intellectual disabilities.
In addition to being a Certified Support Broker with the State of Maryland Disabilities Administration for 6 years, the founder Melisa Wilson is a single mother with a thriving 27-year-old son born with Developmental Delays and Cerebral Palsy. Who tapped into her frustration realizing advocating was vital because of the absence of support and assistance needed in overcoming the hardships she faced while raising her son with special needs. She decided to use her voice as an advocate of this under-served yet important community.
Today, she offers genuine help and support to families and individuals with special needs not only in transitioning from youth to adult programs but also aligning them with appropriate and desired employment opportunities, educating them on the legislation and laws in their state.
For more information on our advocacy program and support services, you can contact us.
From Our Clients
“Representation Matters! Persons with intellectual and or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) are working hard to achieve their goals in the workforce, in the community, and in their personal lives.”
Melisa Wilson, CEO
Let’s PLAN Something new
Say Hello!
For more information on our advocacy program and support services, contact us.