Over the past seven years, we have grown our organization to reach a geographical area much larger than just Grand Junction. We found a greater need for awareness and outreach support in outling communities and have worked to be that resource. Our missing and vision to support families, educators, and individuals living with dyslexia hasn't changed. In order to accommodate that growth, we needed to better represent our organization with a new name and image. The official filing with the IRS that establishes our nonprofit remains named AHA INC in honor of our roots.

Is dyslexia something affecting your child's learning? Aha! recommends that you begin to help your child by doing some research -- yes, research. 1. Begin the conversation at school. Talk to your child's teacher about your concerns and what interventions may be possible in the classroom. Ask what documentation is needed to ensure accommodations are receive in each class and for the next several years. Your child's teacher and school will have the information you need. Be persistent with finding this information. 2. Look through our Parent and Teacher Page for ideas on tutoring curriculums, IEP/504 accommodations, and more. Also, follow us on Facebook for discussions, ideas, and more. 3. Visit the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity's website: http://www.dyslexia.yale.edu/ 4. Visit the University of Michigan's Dyslexia Help website: http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/ 5. Watch the videos at: www.dys-add.com/dysvideo.html 6. Visit the Rocky Mountain Branch of the International Dyslexia Association - Rocky Mountain Branch of the IDA – Promoting Structured Literacy Through Research, Education & Advocacy (idarmb.org)

--To answer your question about dyslexia testing, you have a few options here in the Grand Valley. First, you will need to know what the end goal of the testing is: do you want to just know or confirm your child is dyslexic? If so, you may only need an educational assessment and not a medical diagnosis. Start by asking what your school requires for your child to receive accommodations in the classroom and what is required to get them help. From there, you can know what you need. -- You can consider an educational assessment. Some schools within the district will help with this process and conduct educational tests at the school. Start by discussing your concerns with the teacher and the SPED team or administration. One of our board members can provide a free, 30 minute screener to see if tendencies appear with our approach, just to confirm suspicions. -- Consider an educational assessment by specialists like those on our board. One of our board members is a certified dyslexia specialist. She can conduct a full educational evaluation on if your child shows dyslexic tendencies from an educational standpoint. This information is not a medical diagnosis but it can be used for 504 plans in the Valley. This process takes anywhere from 8-12 hours total (with meetings, assessment, and report) and usually costs $400-$600 and is not covered by insurance. Our board member isn’t the only person in the Valley who can do the diagnoses but she is a member of our board. We can recommend others if you want to call them for their price and background. Some psychologists in the area also do this but you want to find someone who is an expert at language-based learning disabilities. -- Also consider looking into the Life Center at St. Mary’s and ask them about their partnership with the Scottish Rite Foundation. The Scottish Rite Foundation provides free dyslexia testing and assessment to children under 12 years old. You will need to call the Life Center and fill out paperwork to get more information on their process. -- If you need a medical diagnosis, then the only option available is through Children’s Hospital in Denver and the child must undergo a complete psychiatric, medical evaluation. Some of these costs are covered by insurance but the process is lengthy and not all costs (like travel) are covered.

Yes! We are a registered 501(c)3 with the Internal Revenue Service and in good standing with the State of Colorado. All of the work and services done by our board of directors is volunteer. Donations received are strictly returned to the community in the form of scholarship. We are Gold Level member of Guidestar.

Yes! You can view our strategic plans for past years by selecting the links below. Plan 2016-2017 Plan 2018-2019