Special Education Advocacy

Experienced

Professional

Dedicated
Advocacy

A Parent Who
Understands

Navigating the special education system can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to do it alone. I bring a unique blend of professional clinical expertise and deep personal experience to help you secure the services, accommodations, respect and education your child deserves.

Why Partner With Me?

Deep Knowledge of Special Education Law: I understand the complex legal frameworks, state regulations, and civil rights that protect your child and family. I ensure school districts honor their legal obligations.

30 Years of Multidisciplinary Care Coordination: I bring nearly three decades of experience collaborating directly with the entire circle of care. This includes speech, occupational, and physical therapists, behavior analysts, nutritionists, dietitians, teachers, counselors, doctors, nurses, principals, superintendents, neurologists, neuropsychologists and many other team members.

Clinical Expertise & Private Practice Leadership: Led by a licensed speech-language pathologist and private practice owner with 29 years of experience in communication and child development.

Lived Parent Experience: I am not just an expert on paper. As a parent who has spent decades advocating for my own son, who is now a 23-year-old young man with non-verbal autism, I truly understand the journey from both sides of the table.

I have sat on both sides of the table. I know the laws, I speak the language of medical and educational professionals, and most importantly, I know what it feels like to be in your shoes.

Let me handle the system so you can focus on being a parent.

I offer comprehensive advocacy for IEPs, 504 plans, school placement consultations,

HC-CSD/Katie Beckett Medicaid navigation, and multi-provider medical care coordination.

Meet Your Advocate

Sharilyn Mott, MS, CCC-SLP

Founder, Speech-Language Pathologist

& Special Education Advocate

With 29 years of clinical experience as a speech-language pathologist, including 17 years operating my own private practice offering speech and occupational therapy, and special education advocacy, I have dedicated my career to helping children communicate and thrive. Over nearly three decades, I have built an extensive network of care coordination, collaborating closely with a multitude of medical and educational professionals.

My professional expertise is deeply intertwined with my personal life. I am the proud mother of a 23-year-old non-verbal autistic son. Since the day he was born, I have personally navigated the complexities of medical systems and school districts to advocate for his rights, health, and education. This journey included successfully navigating the intense legal and administrative hurdles required to secure a fully funded, out-of-district placement tailored to his needs.

Having sat on both sides of the IEP table as a clinical provider and a mother, I have a profound understanding of special education laws and families' rights. I know firsthand the emotional and logistical weight of this journey, and I am fiercely committed to helping other families secure the comprehensive support, placements, and services their children deserve.

Contact: smott@garrisoncityspeech.com

Advocacy Services Offered

IEP & 504 Plan Development

Comprehensive Record Review: Analyzing past IEPs, 504 plans, report cards, and progress reports to identify gaps in support.
IEP Document Audits: Reviewing proposed IEP goals to ensure they are specific, measurable, data-driven, and meaningful.
504 Plan Customization: Crafting robust, enforceable accommodation plans for medical, mental health, or executive functioning needs.
Placement & Placement Change Support: Strategizing, documenting, and advocating for appropriate educational placements, including specialized out-of-district options.

Evaluations & Clinical Data Strategy

Evaluation Matrix Planning: Determining which clinical, educational, and psychological evaluations are needed to capture a child's true profile.
Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE): Guiding parents through the legal process of requesting and securing district-funded independent evaluations.
Clinical Report Interpretation: Translating complex speech, occupational therapy, psychological, and neuropsychological evaluations into actionable school accommodations using a professional, multi-disciplinary clinical perspective.

Meeting Advocacy & Representation

In-Meeting IEP/504 Representation: Attending school meetings alongside parents to act as an objective, expert voice at the table.
Pre-Meeting Prep Strategy: Mapping out parent agendas, desired outcomes, and talking points before the team sits down.
Meeting Follow-Up & Minutes Review: Reviewing Prior Written Notices (PWN) and meeting summaries to ensure parent concerns are legally and accurately documented.

System Navigation & Transitions

Inter-District Transition Support: Ensuring IEP services transfer seamlessly when a family moves to a new town or school district.
Public Reintegration Planning: Creating structured, data-monitored transition plans for students returning from out-of-district placements back to public schools.
Post-Secondary Transition Advice: Structuring high school IEPs to properly prepare students for college, vocational training, or independent adult living.
Medicaid Waiver & HC-CSD (Katie Beckett) Advocacy: Guiding families through the complex NH Medicaid institutional waiver application process. I help translate your child's developmental profiles into the state-required clinical metrics to optimize level-of-care approvals.

Dispute Resolution & Conflict Support

State Complaint Preparation: Assisting parents in compiling evidence, documenting timelines, and writing formal compliance complaints for state departments of education.
Mediation Strategy & Prep: Preparing parents for state-sponsored mediation sessions by defining clear negotiation boundaries and organizing supporting data.
Resolution Meeting Guidance: Strategizing for mandatory pre-hearing resolution meetings to help families settle disputes favorably before reaching formal legal battles.
Due Process File Organization: Building a meticulous, chronologically indexed "evidence binder" of clinical reports, school emails, and IEP history to hand off seamlessly to special education attorneys if due process becomes necessary.
Compensatory Education Claims: Reviewing service logs and progress reports to calculate missed services and advocate for makeup therapies or tutoring owed to the child.

Please Note: While I provide expert administrative, procedural, and clinical special education advocacy, I am not an attorney and do not provide legal advice. If your case requires formal representation in a due process hearing or federal court, I am happy to refer you to trusted special education attorneys within my professional network.

Parent Empowerment & Coaching

Behind-the-Scenes Strategy Consults: Offering private guidance to parents who prefer to advocate for themselves but want expert advice on their next steps.
School Communication Management: Teaching parents how to document conversations, write formal letters, and maintain an airtight paper trail with school administrators.

Service Options & Investment

I offer flexible ways to partner with me, whether you need target support for an upcoming meeting or a comprehensive, season-long strategist in your corner.

Flat Hourly Rate Services

Best for targeted tasks, single-document reviews, or on-demand strategic guidance.

Hourly Advocacy Consultation: $200 / hour
Use this option for:
- Behind-the-scenes parent strategy coaching.
- Reviewing a short progress report or single evaluation.
- Drafting a specific, formal email or letter to school administration.
- Quick check-ins to prepare for a meeting you plan to attend on your own.

Bundled Advocacy Packages

My comprehensive packages combine my clinical insight, operational strategy, and lived experience into a single, cohesive, predictable plan with no hidden fees to save you time and maximize your child’s outcomes.

Package 1: The HC-CSD / Katie Beckett Medicaid Application Bundle

Best for families who need an expert clinical lens to organize, strengthen, and submit their New Hampshire institutional waiver packet.

What's Included:
- Clinical Documentation Audit: A thorough review of your child’s existing speech, occupational, medical, and psychological reports to ensure they accurately reflect the functional severity of their daily needs.
- The "Level of Care" Strategy Letter: A professionally drafted clinical summary letter from me that translates your child's functional deficits into the exact criteria the state looks for regarding an institutional level of care.
- Application & Packet Review: A 1-on-1 session to walk through the state paperwork, cross Ts, dot Is, and ensure the packet is comprehensive before submission.
Package Investment: $800 (Value breakdown: Includes roughly 4 hours of deep file review, clinical mapping, and 1-on-1 application alignment).

Package 2: The Comprehensive IEP / 504 Audit

Best for families facing a stalemate with their school district or preparing for an annual review.

What’s Included:
- Full Records Review: A deep dive into up to 3 years of school records, past IEPs/504s, report cards, and private clinical evaluations.
- Clinical Comparison: An analysis matching your child’s actual clinical data against what the school is currently offering.
- The Strategy Playbook: A written report highlighting missing goals, recommended accommodations, and a customized game plan.
- 1-Hour Prep Call: A private session with me to review the playbook and align on target goals before you communicate with the school.
Package Investment: $1,500 (Value breakdown: Includes roughly 7.5 hours of deep clinical file review, strategy development, and 1-on-1 prep).

Package 3: The "At the Table" IEP Representation Bundle

The most popular package. I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you from preparation through the final signature.

What’s Included:
- Everything in the IEP/504 Audit Package (Full records review, clinical analysis, and strategy playbook).
- Pre-Meeting Prep Session: Finalizing your list of priorities, parent agenda, and talking points.
- In-Meeting Representation: Attending the IEP/504 meeting alongside you as your dedicated advocate and expert SLP to anchor the data and lead technical discussions.
- Post-Meeting Audit: A meticulous review of the school’s proposed meeting minutes and final IEP draft before you sign.
Package Investment: $2,500 (Value breakdown: Includes roughly 12.5 hours of end-to-end preparation, pre-meeting alignment, in-meeting representation, and post-meeting oversight).

Package 4: Out-of-District / Reintegration Placement Strategy

A specialized package for families navigating high-stakes placement changes, backed by my personal success in securing out-of-district placements.

What’s Included:
- The "Denial of FAPE" Data Audit: Building a bulletproof, chronologically indexed paper trail proving the district cannot meet your child’s needs.
- Independent Evaluation Strategy (IEE): Guidance on navigating district-funded independent assessments to legally force placement discussions.
- Placement Search & Vetting: Matching your child’s unique profile to specialized therapeutic or private schools.
- Transition & Reintegration Blueprint: Step-by-step administrative support for students entering a specialized facility, or transitioning back into the public high school system.
Package Investment: Custom Quote Based on Complexity (Typically starting at $3,500, tailored to the intensity of the district dispute).

Stop Fighting the School
System Alone

You don't have to carry the logistical and emotional weight of this journey by yourself. Whether you need a comprehensive record audit, an expert sitting next to you at the IEP table, or a strategic blueprint for a placement change, I have the clinical expertise and lived experience to guide you forward.

Let’s start with a conversation—on me. Your initial 30-minute consultation is completely complimentary. I will listen to your concerns, review your child's current situation, and determine the exact roadmap to secure the support they rightfully deserve.

Schedule Your Strategic Consultation

Let’s build a bulletproof plan to secure the support your child rightfully deserves.