Connecting and supporting families of individuals with special needs

A Family to Family Health Care Information & Education Center

Meet Our Staff

Meet Our Staten Island Staff

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Annette Raia

Family to Family Coordinator
Staten Island Office  

My amazing husband, John, and I have been married for ten years.  After several years of trying to start a family, we are the proud parents of the best 3 year old twins in the world, Joseph and Samantha.

            I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the College of Staten Island and have been working with people with disabilities since 1994.  My experience is extensive as I have worked in several areas, including vocational and residential services.  I was a Medicaid Service Coordinator for four years and as the Coordinator of Waiver Services for five years.  In addition, for two years I was the Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee and Co-Chair of the Incident Review Committee for a local non-profit agency.

As my twins were developing I started to notice several differences between the two.  Everyone (including my FORMER pediatrician) kept telling me that I could not compare the two children, as they were individuals and would do things at different times in different ways.  “You can’t compare a boy with a girl.  Girls do things faster.”  But I knew differently. 

Mostly due to my experience with people with disabilities, I knew by 18 months that my son was “different”.  After all of the evaluations my son has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS or Borderline Autism.  Upon hearing this diagnosis, I went into what I refer to as “Service Coordinator mode”.  My son immediately began receiving Early Intervention services and has since made tremendous strides. 
           
Unlike most parents who’s child/children have been diagnosed with something, I KNEW WHAT TO DO! My career essentially prepared me to become the advocate that I need to be to ensure that all of my son’s needs are met!  I decided that I wanted to help other parents and families whose child/children has been diagnosed with a disability. I was looking for a forum to utilize my experience to help other families and I have found it at Parent to Parent of NYS.  I think that it is so important for parents to have other parents to talk to; families who have been through it - the roller coaster of emotions, the paperwork, the denial and grief, the joy.  Having someone to talk to, to guide you, who truly understands where you are coming from may help someone to see that there is a bright sunny day just around the corner…Parent to Parent of NYS provides that guidance towards tomorrow: the bright, sunny day.

To contact Annette, call (718) 494-3469 or email f2fstatenisland@verizon.net     

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Parent to Parent of NYS - Statewide Office
500 Balltown Rd.
Schenectady, NY 12304
518-381-4350 or 1-800-305-8817

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