Testimonials

I am thrilled that Marti is sharing her strength and passion for child advocacy with parents, like herself, who are suddenly faced with taking on an entire school district to get their child’s special needs met in an appropriate and well balanced setting. School districts often make decisions of placement and service based on inflexible class structure and tight budgets. Marti knows that our children with special needs deserve better than this and that is exactly what she fights for. 

I have observed Marti in discussions with other families regarding educational decisions and therapy options. Parents know their children well and know what they need. Marti realizes this. To her, there are no barriers in working with the district to design just the right program for each child. She presents ideas with a keen awareness of children’s individuality and uniqueness. Her creative approach at IEP meetings allow administrators to understand the rationale and benefit of proposed plans.

Marti believes in the rights of our children and represents them with pride and confidence. 

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As a member of the faculty of UCLA, a school principal and as a parent of an autistic child, I am familiar with the double trauma that parents with special needs children face. The first trauma is the diagnosis. But the even more painful trauma is that of trying to navigate the maze of services, rejection letters, and opposing opinions for what you hope will be the best course of treatment for your child. Marti Ornest is the one woman who single-handedly can take away the pain and guesswork of getting your child the help they need and getting it quickly. Every day of delay is another day wasted that could have brought your child closer to being the child they were meant to be. I have known Marti Ornest for many years and one thing I know for certain about her ~ Marti doesn’t understand the word “no” and will fight for each and every child as though they were her own. Every child should have Marti Ornest in their corner!

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“From the day I met Mrs. Ornest she was fully dedicated to getting the best possible services for her child. In spite of the bureaucracy of a gian,t like LAUSD, and against all odds, she was able to get funding for services with the people she believed were the best for her child. If only more parents were able to get what Marti was able to get from the school districts (what they are entitled to), I am certain that would make a great difference in their children’s life … and in theirs”

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"It is with great pleasure and great confidence for me to be informed that Marti Ornest has started this informational website for the community to address the complexities of raising a child with special needs as well as typically developing children. I met Marti and her family when her child came to my office for a developmental evaluation. Her child is extraordinary, with eyes that sparkle and a mind to match. There were mild delays in social communication skills and language reciprocity. Marti was open to hear all options for intervention and at the recommendation of aggressive intervention; she dove in and orchestrated an implementation of strategies that has pushed her child towards truly remarkable progress. The facilitation of these interventions took a lot of perseverance on the part of Marti to both receive them and implement them, and I attribute this success to the painstaking work of both the child and family and the gifted therapists who have worked with her child.

Marti Ornest is unique as a person, as a mother and as an advocate for her child.
She has an innate sensibility about what her child has needed along the way and has worked painstakingly to make sure the services and education support her child’s individual needs. I welcome Marti into our community of supports for children with special needs."