Since 1971, A New Leaf has provided assistance to those most in need in our community, helping families, children, and adults overcome the challenges they face.

A New Leaf offers 7 distinct pillars of service: domestic violence, housing and shelter, family support, health & wellness, foster care, education, and financial empowerment.

Communities are made stronger when families are safe, have a secure home, are able to provide for themselves and their children, and are ultimately given a chance to make a brighter future for themselves.

By offering these seven pillars of service, A New Leaf is helping households move from crisis to stability, making our community a better place to live.

Ability360 is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation.  Through its comprehensive programs, Ability360 touches the lives of individuals with disabilities and addresses the disability concerns of their family members, co-workers and employers.

Mission Statement

Ability360 offers and promotes programs designed to empower people with disabilities to take personal responsibility so that they may achieve or continue independent lifestyles within the community.

Ability360 is one of five Centers for Independent Living in Arizona, and the largest Center in the state. Ability360 advocates personal responsibility – by, and for, people with disabilities – as a means to independence.  Programs are designed to help consumers achieve self-sufficiency. In addition to the five core service areas, Ability360 provides and promotes numerous other programs and services that help consumers achieve an independent lifestyle.

Ability360 Programs and Services:

• Individual & Systems Advocacy
• Information & Referral
• Employment Services
• ADA Services
• Counsel
• Empowering Youth in Transition
• Home Modifications
• Social and Recreational Opportunities
• Home Care Services
• Sports, Fitness, and Health & Wellness Programs

Access Services provides behavioral health services, children & family services, and intellectual disability and autism services for 14 counties in eastern Pennsylvania. Our mission is to empower and serve people in need of specialized supports by providing innovative services that improve their ability to live fulfilling lives in the community.

ACCA is a non-profit agency that has served the Fairbanks community since 1946. It began with a grassroots community effort to assist people needing orthopedic referrals and equipment as well as speech therapy. The agency was known as ‘Alaska Crippled Children and Adults’ and was associated with the Easter Seals Society. In 1998, the agency adopted a new name, ‘Alaska Center for Children and Adults’. Over the years, programs for individuals with disabilities has expanded to support many areas of the state of Alaska.

Our Mission

To assist in improving the lives of people with disabilities and their families by providing quality diagnostic, therapeutic, educational and referral services in conjunction with other community providers without regard to ability to pay.

Programs

• Connections DDRC: assists individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families with accessing services through the State of Alaska Developmental Disabilities (DD) Programs.
• FASD Community Evaluation & Service: the FASD Diagnostic Team serves children experiencing difficulties related to prenatal exposure to alcohol. Services include screening and multidisciplinary evaluations leading to diagnosis and recommendations for intervention.
• Family Wellness: the Family Wellness program identifies social, emotional, and parent/child relationship concerns prior to age 8 and aims to provide early support to build positive relationships. ACCA provides screening, evaluation, developmental guidance, and community referrals to support children in the context of their family relationships. Services are provided by an Infant Mental Health Endorsed Developmental Specialist.
• Infant Learning Program: ACCA’s Infant Learning Program (ILP) provides early intervention services to children birth to three years who experience a developmental delay or disability, with a focus on supporting and strengthening the whole family.
• Loan Closet: adaptive mobility equipment is available for loan to community members. A deposit is required, but is refundable if equipment is returned within 3 months. After 3 months, the deposit will become a donation to ACCA. All equipment rentals include a $5, non-refundable cleaning fee.

Apraxia Kids is the leading nonprofit that strengthens the support systems in the lives of children with apraxia of speech. Since our inception in 2000, Apraxia Kids has provided support to tens of thousands of families and professionals.

Arizona Youth Partnership builds solid foundations for youth and families by partnering with Arizona communities to prevent and solve local issues such as substance abuse, youth homelessness, lack of educational opportunities, teen pregnancy, and challenging family dynamics.

AZYP was founded in 1990 by a group of concerned Pima County citizens who sought to provide rural communities in the county access to the services available in the Tucson metro area. In 2006, AZYP expanded to serve rural communities across Arizona and seeks to employ a root cause approach to fighting poverty, build healthy, self-sufficient youth and families through
evidence-based prevention programs and community involvement.

Role & Responsibilities

Brief description of the California Department of Education.

Camp del Corazon is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides year-round experiential opportunities for child faced with the challenges of growing up and living with heart disease. We provide a residential summer camp experience for children ages 7-17 as well as programs that offer opportunities for growth, education, and support for children, young adults, and the families who are living with heart disease. All proceeds are spent on the camp, and its programming, and staffed entirely by volunteers.

We offer our camping program free-of-charge, as the families affected by this disease already incur incredible financial burdens from medical bills and often have to seek private or home schooling due to numerous doctors’ appointments and hospital stays these children require.

Camp Holiday Trails (CHT) is a year-round nonprofit camp in a natural setting at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central VA. CHT incorporated as a nonprofit in 1973 and since that time has provided over 10,000 kids with medical needs the opportunity to experience a positive camp experience.  Our Campers, age 7-17, are welcomed from throughout the United States with the majority coming from the Mid-Atlantic region. Many campers have multiple diagnoses, including cancer, diabetes, sickle cell, hemophilia, juvenile arthritis, or are recipients of transplants.

Camp Simcha

Every summer, Camp Simcha Special welcomes 230 children and teens with a wide range of multiple diagnoses for two weeks of fun, friendship, and personal growth. Non-stop activities, bunk spirit, singing and dancing encourage independence and build self-confidence. It is a unique opportunity for children fighting chronic illness to build a community of people with whom to share hopes and dreams as they grow.

Our mission is to bring childhood back to children who lost it when they were diagnosed. To do that, we mix the best of camp activities – sports, arts and crafts, swimming and boating, camp shows, special events and activities – with the leadership of trained and compassionate counselors who specialize in keeping campers laughing from early morning to late at night.

Chai Lifeline

Founded in 1987, Chai Lifeline is dedicated to helping families of seriously ill children cope with the crises and challenges of pediatric illness. We understand that illness impacts everyone in the family, and our programs offer emotional and social support to each member, the sick child, parents and siblings. Two-dozen, year-round, free programs and services create a network of help that begins with the moment of diagnosis and continue for as long as needed.

Chai Lifeline is headquartered in New York City. Regional offices in Lakewood, NJ, Chicago, IL, Fort Lauderdale, FL, and Los Angeles, CA, ensure that families across the country have access to needed programs and services. International affiliates in Israel, Canada, Belgium, and Great Britain bring Chai Lifeline to the world.

Our network of emotional, social, recreational, and financial programs is designed to create a year-round web of support around sick kids, their families and the communities in which they live. We understand that a child’s illness affects the entire family, and our programs are family-focused and family-friendly. Programs are held in facilities that can accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and other medical equipment.

In-hospital services include professional case management and advocacy; healthy, nutritious meals for patients and caregivers; transportation assistance for parents; visits by volunteers; and overnight respite that allows parents to go home for the evening.

We offer a full complement of services for children including weblinks between classrooms and hospital rooms or homes; recreational opportunities; Big Brothers and Sisters; a lending library of books, tapes, and DVDs; after-school programs for children living with loss or illness in their homes; creative arts and art therapy; counseling; trips; food packages; sibling programs; and an innovative survivor program that facilitates post-cancer life.

Families find hope and support through retreats; family respite vacations; peer-support programs for mothers or fathers; insurance advocacy; family days and holiday parties; bereavement and crisis intervention services.

All programs are free of charge, including our largest, Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special. We even pay transportation from campers’ home cities.

The goal of the Care 4 Kids program is to make child care affordable for low to moderate income families in Connecticut. The program is a partnership between the State of Connecticut, the families in the program and the providers who take care of the children.

To participate in the program, there are certain eligibility requirements for parents, children, and child care providers. Families must:

• Live in Connecticut;
• Be working or attending a temporary family cash assistance (Jobs First) approved education or training activity; and
• Meet the program’s income requirements

Children must:

• Live in Connecticut; and
• Be under the age of 13, or if the child has special needs, be under age 19

Providers must:

• Be licensed by the CT Office of Early Childhood (unless exempt from licensing); or
• Be a close relative, grandparent/great grandparent, aunt/uncle, and sibling (a sibling living outside of the child’s home)

Eligibility screening tool: https://oec.service.ct.gov/C4KPortal/s/prescreeningpage?language=en_US

The goal of the Care 4 Kids program is to make child care affordable for low to moderate income families in Connecticut. The program is a partnership between the State of Connecticut, the families in the program and the providers who take care of the children.

To participate in the program, there are certain eligibility requirements for parents, children, and child care providers. Families must:

• Live in Connecticut;
• Be working or attending a temporary family cash assistance (Jobs First) approved education or training activity; and
• Meet the program’s income requirements

Children must:

• Live in Connecticut; and
• Be under the age of 13, or if the child has special needs, be under age 19

Providers must:

• Be licensed by the CT Office of Early Childhood (unless exempt from licensing); or
• Be a close relative, grandparent/great grandparent, aunt/uncle, and sibling (a sibling living outside of the child’s home)

Eligibility screening tool: https://oec.service.ct.gov/C4KPortal/s/prescreeningpage?language=en_US

The Department of Health Services and the Department of Children and Families partnered to implement Care4Kids, an innovative program designed to offer comprehensive and coordinated health services for children and youth in foster care. The program launched January 1, 2014, in the following six southeastern Wisconsin counties: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, and Waukesha.

The Care4Kids program creates a “medical home” team for children in foster care, assuring that children receive individualized treatment plans in order to address their specific health care needs, including trauma related care. As a result, children in community settings are expected to have improved physical and mental health, improved resiliency and shorter stays in out-of-home care. These positive outcomes will also result in long-term savings in publicly funded programs.

Children placed in out-of-home care in the following counties may be eligible for Care4Kids:

• Milwaukee County
• Kenosha County
• Ozaukee County
• Racine County
• Washington County
• Waukesha County

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh traces its history of serving families in North Carolina to 1899, when a Catholic Orphanage was established in Raleigh. Since that time, the agency has expanded and adapted to the needs of the community. We serve people of all faiths or no faith tradition by providing direct services and collaborating with a range of community partners to ensure vulnerable and isolated individuals and families in our community are respected and supported. Catholic Charities core programming includes disaster services, family advancement, food pantries, and immigration legal services.

Catholic Charities Food Pantry Services operates  both traditional food pantry services at designated locations and mobile food pantry events to bring groceries into the community for those who face barriers in traveling to the food pantry location.

Food pantry services are available in the following locations:

Center for Child Counseling is building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children, families, and communities.

Our programs and expertise, spanning from prenatal to age 18, is grounded in research about early brain development and the impact of adversity and trauma on development, family systems, and generations. Violence and abuse in the earliest years of life are forms of “toxic stress” that can fundamentally change the developing brain, impacting wellness in adolescence and throughout the lifespan.

The Center for Children’s Advocacy (CCA) is a nonprofit law firm which fights for the legal rights of Connecticut’s most vulnerable children. Our mission is to protect and promote the legal rights of Connecticut’s low-income children and youth so they have equitable opportunities for good health, a quality education, and a successful transition to adulthood.

CCA provides legal representation and advocates for system reforms to ensure at-risk children’s basic needs are met and they receive appropriate services from the juvenile justice, education, child welfare, health care, and court systems.

For more than 80 years, the Centers for Independence has strengthened communities by fostering hope and helping people advance their total health.  CFI is dedicated to assisting people of all ages and abilities achieve their fullest level of independence through a supportive environment that fosters hope. CFI’s unmatched breadth of disability support services and resources tallow others to find value in themselves and see a path forward.

Who We Serve: 

The Centers for Independence assists people of all abilities, ages, and socioeconomic standing. CFI’s vast array of services and programs are based on community needs and are offered to every client, patient, and consumer who seeks them. In many cases, CFI brings solutions to people who might not find assistance anywhere else.

What We Do: 

The Centers for Independence integrates health care and social services. CFI’s commitment to total health with a trauma-informed care approach results in a framework of wellness that improves lives, families, and communities. CFI’s programs, which are committed to helping people maintain control and choice over their care, serve people who need:

• mental health and substance-abuse treatment and care
• job-training and placement services
• rehabilitative help following a brain injury or neurological condition
• day programming and activities to fully engage in life
• in-home personal care services
• assistance managing finances and employment for long-term care needs
• medical day care services and education for children with complex medical conditions
• early education programming and therapies

Cheyanna’s Champions 4 Children (CC4C) enhances the lives of children battling rare and undiagnosed conditions in Texas. We achieve this by giving children and families access to mental health and wellness programs, providing financial assistance, and giving them access to events and experiences that would otherwise be impossible.

The subsidized child care program helps low-income families pay their child care fees. The state and federal governments fund this program, which is managed by the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) office located in your county.

If you meet the guidelines:

• • The ELRC will pay a part of your child care cost. This is called a subsidy payment.
  • You will pay a part of the cost. This is called the family co-pay.
  • The subsidy payment and the family co-pay go directly to the child care program.

NOTE: If your child care subsidy does not pay the full amount that your child care program charges, the provider may ask you to pay the difference between the subsidy payment and their private charges.

Guidelines 

You must submit an application to the ELRC to see if you meet the guidelines for the subsidized child care program.

The following are the basic guidelines:

• You must live in Pennsylvania
• Have a child or children who need child care while you work or attend an education program
• Meet income guidelines for your family size
• Work 20 or more hours a week – or-
• Work 10 hours and go to school or train for 10 hours a week
• Have a promise of a job that will start within 30 days of your application for subsidized child care
• Teen parents must attend an education program
• The child who needs care must be a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residency
• Have proof of identification for each parent or caretaker in the home.

The purpose of CCOP is to provide a coordinated approach to supporting families who have a child with a disability. This approach recognizes and maximizes the family’s capacity, resiliency, and unique abilities. The intention is to better support, nurture, and facilitate self-determination, interdependence, and inclusion in all facets of community life for the child and family.

Through a collaborative relationship with the family, supports and services aimed at achieving desired outcomes are identified, prioritized, and implemented. Strategies must be flexible, coordinated, and effective. These strategies may include:

• Information, education, and training on advocating on behalf of the child, leadership, and the full array of supports and services available in each community.
• Methods for connecting families with other families (including parents, guardians, self-advocates, siblings, and grandparents) and support groups for mutual support and networking.
• Goods and services that promote identified outcomes, benefit the child, and enhance the family’s long-term support roles.

Use this list to contact your county representative for the CCOP services: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/clts/contact.htm

The Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program helps children with disabilities and their families through supports and services that help children grow and live their best lives. It is a home and community-based service waiver. It uses a Medicaid waiver to fund services for kids with disabilities. A waiver lets states use Medicaid to fund additional non-medical services and supports not normally offered. The CLTS Program aims to keep kids at home instead of at an institution.

Contact the county health and human services agency near you. Let them know you are interested in services for your child. They will help you with next steps!

Eligibility: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/clts/eligibility.htm

Apply: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/clts/apply.htm

The Community Action Agency of New Haven offers pathways to prosperity to those in poverty in the Greater New Haven area through service, collaboration, advocacy, and knowledge generation.

We provide case management services as well as other direct services. Clients benefit from: S.M.A.R.T. Women (Single Mothers Actively Reaching the Top) Energy assistance (Matching Payment Plan, Operation Fuel, Homebound Service), financial literacy, job readiness, emergency food pantry, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), diaper bank, Passport Transitional Services (PTS Homeless Initiative), Youth Empowerment Pathways, YEP- Youth ages 15-17), Aging with G.R.A.C.E. (Mature Adults 55+), Healthy Options Pathway Essentials (HOPE), Father Factor, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA).

Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Inc. (CSP) is a private, nonprofit, community action agency, created by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. CSP is dedicated to improving the quality of life for low-income and vulnerable populations in its service area. The agency uses public and private funding sources to develop and administer its various programs and encourages participation in coalitions with other organizations.

The agency’s mission is to provide resources and services, which resolve immediate needs and lead to long term self-sufficiency in low-income and vulnerable populations.

The agency’s service area includes Bibb, Choctaw, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties in West Alabama. The agency provides weatherization services only in Pickens county.

Services 

1. Education: Head Start/Early Head Start; Early Intervention
2. Housing: CSP Rentals; Housing Rehabilitation; Financial Capabilities
3. Support Services: Meals on Wheels; Mobile Food Pantries; Elderly Assistance Program; Information and Referrals; Case Management; Utility Assistance Program

Complex Child is a monthly online magazine written by parents of children with special healthcare needs and disabilities. It is intended to provide medical information, along with personal experiences, in simple language that other parents can understand. Articles are on a wide variety of topics ranging from basic information on medical conditions and treatments to advice on how to beat insurance company denials.

Complex Child is FREE! The new edition and all archived editions and articles are completely free, but are only available online.

Connecticut Family Support Network (CTFSN) provides direct support to individuals and families in their homes and communities by sharing information and resources that empower people to make their voices heard and to become their own best advocate.

Supporting families and individuals has been the sole mission of CTFSN since its inception. To meet the needs of families raising children and adult family members with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities or special healthcare needs in Connecticut, CTFSN staff provide information and resources to families and help them connect with services. CTFSN aims to ensure the best outcomes for the family member with special needs and the family as a whole.

CTFSN is a statewide organization and its staff work and live in the communities they serve. All staff members are parents, family members, or caregivers to a person with special needs.

Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Inc. (CPAC) is a statewide nonprofit organization that offers information and support to families of children with any disability or chronic illness, age birth through 26. The Center is committed to the idea that parents can be the most effective advocates for their children, given the confidence that knowledge and understanding of special education law and its procedures can bring.

Through outreach efforts and referrals from schools, social service agencies and other parents, the number of families that Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center serves has grown dramatically over the past 40 years. We continue to take pride in providing prompt and personal assistance to all who contact us. CPAC is staffed by parents of children with disabilities who have training in, and personal experience with, the law and disability issues.

In addition to speaking with parents on a daily basis, CPAC staff conduct workshops for parents as well as in-service presentations for schools, teachers-in-training and service providers throughout the state so that they may better understand and serve the parents with whom they work. Staff and Board members serve on numerous statewide committees and various organizations, representing issues that are of concern to parents and families in Connecticut.

MD Family Supports Waiver provides personal supports, respite care services, support broker services, assistive technology and services, behavioral support services, environmental assessment, environmental modifications, family and peer mentoring supports, family caregiver training and empowerment services, housing support services, individual and family directed goods and services, nurse case management and delegation services** ending March 2021**, nurse consultation**ending March 2021**, nursing support services, participant education, training and advocacy supports, transportation, and vehicle modifications for individuals with developmental disabilities ages 0 – 21 years of age.

Link to application(s) and supporting documents: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/81996

The mission of the Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma (DDCO) is to advance communities where everyone has the opportunity to live, learn, work, and play where they choose. The Council builds partnerships to change systems to improve services, resources, and supports for Oklahomans with developmental disabilities and their families.

What does DDCO do?

Provide information and technical assistance to legislators, policymakers, and state agencies, private organizations, and advocates.

Provide assistance to individuals and  organizations to support individuals with developmental disabilities and family members to participate on advocacy boards and attend conferences.

Participate in work groups, task forces, and coalitions that affect policy making at the state and federal levels.

Fund leadership and advocacy training for advocates and field professionals.

Fund work performed by council staff or other entities that will:

• Identify individuals and their families who may need services or supports,
• Foster inter-agency collaboration and coordination resulting in improved service or support,
• Reduce or eliminate barriers to services; or redesign systems of support to better meet individual needs,
• Inform policymakers on the results of its work, policy design, best and promising practices, or other findings that may inform future policy decisions, or
• Create model projects or programs demonstrating new approaches to serving Oklahoman’s with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Our mission is to help individuals with developmental disabilities and their families help themselves to lead safer, healthier, more independent and productive lives.

Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) serves persons ages 3 and up who have a primary diagnosis of intellectual disabilities.  Persons served may also have other developmental disabilities in addition to intellectual disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, etc.

Services Available

• Architectural Modifications
• Employment and Adult Day Programs
• Family Support Assistance Program
• Guardianship
• Home and Community Living
• Professional Services
• Respite
• Home and Community Based Waiveres

Developmental Enrichment Centers (DEC) are a faith-based, non-profit organization licensed and contracted with Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Developmental Disabilities (DES/DDD). Together, our dedicated staff brings over 50 years of combined experience working on behalf of children and adults with developmental disabilities such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, and Cognitive Delay.

Funding is provided in part through our contract with the state. Additional support is offered through the generosity of individuals, local businesses, and corporate grants. DEC is recognized as an Arizona Charitable Organization serving the working poor and contributions made to DEC are eligible for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit.

DEC is committed to meet the social, emotional, and physical needs of each individual served by DEC through both center and home-based services. Recognizing the unique abilities of our clients, both young and elderly, and the challenges they face, we anticipate an expansion of comprehensive services to include residential services, graduated levels of support for medically fragile individuals, in-house therapy, job skills training, and job placement services.

The administration and employees of DEC encourage one another to develop within themselves a core set of values. These values, known as the “fruits of the spirit,” are found in Galatians 5:22 and serve as foundational Christian life principles. Exhibition of these nine attributes is the measure we use to assess all employees.

With a desire to make a difference within the community we serve, our staff is committed to the following: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

The mission of the Double H Ranch is to provide specialized programs and year-round support for children and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Our purpose is to enrich their lives and provide camp experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun, empowering, physically safe and medically sound. All programs are FREE of charge and capture the magic of the Adirondacks. The Double H Ranch is a 501 (c) (3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent permitted by law. Co-Founded by Charles R. Wood and Paul Newman.

The Double H Ranch is located in Lake Luzerne, New York, in the beautiful Adirondack Park. We are approximately 215 miles north of New York City, NY, approximately 220 miles from Boston, MA, and approximately 174 miles south of Montreal, Quebec.

Our facility resides on 320 acres of land with waterfront access to Lake Vanare. Our facilities include camper cabins that are able to accommodate 126 campers, staff cabins that are able to accommodate a total of 125 staff members and volunteer cabins that are able to accommodate 50 volunteers. Program areas include an indoor and outdoor pool, a high ropes course, archery, horseback riding and pasture, picnic pavilion, stage area, dining hall, Arts & Crafts building/ski chalet, and various other outdoor spaces used for recreational play and opportunities to explore nature.

Easter Seals Cardinal Hill is driven by a tireless passion to champion people of all ages, ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability or life challenge, has the opportunity to live, learn, work, and play in our communities.

On national, state, and local levels, Easter Seals offers help, hope, and answers to adults, children, and their families living with special needs.

Easter Seals Cardinal Hill Services:

• Adaptive recreation
• Adult day health
• Creative beginnings child development center
• HorseAbility
• Pediatric therapy

For nearly 100 years, Easterseals has been the indispensable resource for people and families living with disabilities. Throughout all life’s moments – from the extraordinary to the ordinary and everything in between – Easterseals is here to help people and families realize and reach for their full potential.

Across the nation, we remove physical, cultural, attitudinal, and legal obstacles so people with disabilities have every opportunity to live meaningful and productive lives, on their own terms. We exist to provide the best services and opportunities for people with disabilities in communities nationwide.

Easterseals serves people and families who face a wide range of disabilities, including physical emotional, intellectual, social and educational.

Our mission is to enhance the lives of children, adults, and families in an environment that promotes independence, dignity, and respect.

Services: 

• Behavioral Health Services
• Early Intervention
• Early Learning Center
• Katie Beckett Program
• Personal Assistance
• Community Supported Living
• Workforce Development

Exceptional Lives is a personalized disability information platform for families, caregivers, and professionals. We empower and support families by providing trustworthy, easy-to-follow information in plain language on how to access programs and services. We promote self-help by equipping users with tools to find resources and take action to help their children thrive.

Exceptional Lives encourages and guides families and providers caring for children with disabilities by offering information, advocacy and skill-building tools, and connections to other caregivers. We support family resiliency through clear, compassionate guidance grounded in our own personal experience.

We envision a world in which families raising children with disabilities become effective advocates for their children because they are informed about and able to access the public resources and benefits they need to help their children thrive.

Our mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families facing hereditary cancer. FORCE accomplishes this mission by providing expert-reviewed information to help people make informed medical decisions. Our supportive community of peers and professionals ensures no one faces hereditary cancer alone. FORCE is a champion, advocating for access to care, and better treatment and prevention options.

Family Connection of South Carolina changes the lives of families with children who have a disability or special healthcare need by making connections, raising awareness, and promoting inclusion.

At Family Connection, we offer a variety of programs and services to address your questions and concerns on complex healthcare, mental health, and educational systems you must navigate.

Current Programs and Services: 

1. Project Breathe Easy: This free and confidential home visitation program provides emotional and information support to parents who have children with asthma.
2. Healthcare Connection: Our healthcare team offers assistance with Medicaid, TEFRA, appeals, and managed care information.
3. Education Partners: Family Engagement Managers empower parents with tools, training, and support to help them understand and navigate the educational system.
4. Parents as Teachers: A unique home-school visitation partnership for parents of young children.
5. Parent to Parent Support: Trained parent volunteers provide emotional support and information based on the child’s disability or special healthcare concern.
6. NICU Support: Our NICU parent navigators provide bedside support to parents who have or recently had a child in the NICU.

• Increases the strength and resilience of families
• Supports parents as they help their children with special needs achieve their full potential
• Improves community providers’ capacity to serve families with children who have special needs

All FSN Regional Affiliates Offer:

Family Voices is a national family-led organization of families and friends of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and disabilities. We connect a network of family organizations across the United States that provide support to families of CYSHCN. We promote partnership with families at all levels of health care–individual and policy decision-making levels—in order to improve health care services and policies for children.

Family Voices Of Wisconsin is a statewide network of families who have children with special health care needs and disabilities and those who work on their behalf. The focus of our work is health care access, coverage and supports and services for children with special needs. We are the home of the Family Voices State Affiliate Organization and Wisconsin’s Family to Family Health Information and Education Network.

Our mission at Fighting H.A.R.D. Foundation is to help children with rare diseases and chronic illnesses to know that they are not alone! Fighting HARD Foundation became an official 501c3 organization in August of 2015 after we searched for a support group to help kids with rare diseases and chronic illnesses. When we were not able to find one, we decided to create an organization of our own where we could bring children of the rare disease community together to help them know they were not alone in their battle!

​We are accomplishing our mission of helping kids with rare diseases and chronic illnesses to feel less alone by sending care packages, providing emotional support through social media and get-togethers (held virtually during COVID-19), and financially assisting these kids and their families by providing the money needed for meals, gas, groceries, and medical equipment. We are always looking for new ways to spread our message and help as many kids as possible!​

First Five SC began as an idea in 2019 with a simple principle: families deserve a responsive one-stop portal to learn about public programs and services to help with their child’s growth and development.

First Five engages parents and caregivers as active partners in making South Carolina’s early childhood system work for young children and families. By streamlining the search and application process, First Five SC helps families better understand their options and choose the programs and services that best meet their needs. As a project of the South Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council, a collaborative, interagency body representing the state’s early childhood system, First Five SC works to support its mission of supporting families and helping young children thrive.

Services 

1. Child Care and Early Education
2. Health and Safety
3. Special Needs and Early Intervention
4. Food and Nutrition
5. Parenting and Family Support

The Foundation for Blind Children was founded in 1952 by parents of blind children who wanted services for their blind children in Phoenix, instead of having to send them to the State Institution for the Blind in Tucson. The Foundation for Blind Children serves the blind and visually impaired of all ages, from birth to currently 102 years old. As the only agency of its kind in Arizona, the Foundation for Blind Children is an essential resource to families and children with blindness or low vision.

With three Valley locations (East Valley, West Valley and Central Phoenix), we strive to serve as “the” community’s resource for blind, visually impaired, and multi-handicapped children, adults, and their families.

As one of Arizona’s pioneer social service agencies, Friendly House was first established in 1920 as part of a local initiative to assist immigrants in acquiring the citizenship, education and literacy skills necessary to acculturate into the United States. In 100+ years, Friendly House has evolved into a multi-service organization with wide-ranging programs aimed at addressing the pressing needs of our diverse community: Education, Workforce Development, Family Support, Basic Needs and Immigration.

Programs 

• Academia del Pueblo
• Adult Education
• College & Career Readiness
• Emergency Support Services
• Early Childhood Development Center
• Parent Education and Drug Prevention
• Workforce Development

Fun Van is a parenting education program for parents/caregivers and their children ages birth to 5, and is supported by First Things First in the Pinal Region. Each class meets once a week for 11 weeks and includes story time, a craft, playtime, a unique parent session, and a book to keep!

In the parent session, parents and caregivers dive into curricula from two excellent programs. The Parent Educators use the Raising A Reader program to excite children about books and better prepare them for school, and the Early Childhood STEP program to improve family relationships and communication.

Link to registration page: https://www.ajpl.org/funvan/registration/

Resources for All Ages in the state of Alabama

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat works together with families, local communities, volunteers and partners from around the world so that more people are able to live in affordable and safe homes. Our advocacy efforts focus on policy reform to remove systemic barriers preventing low-income and historically underserved families from accessing adequate, affordable shelter.

HELP Foundation empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential, day support, vocational, and summer education programs to choose services and opportunities as respected and valued members of the community.

HELP supports pathways that give every individual the chance to thrive and reach their full ability, contributing to a vibrant, inclusive community.

Services:

• Adult Day Support: Transportation Available
• Employment Services
• Residential Services
• Summer Program (ESY)
• Transportation
• Vocational Programs

Help Me Grow Kentucky is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL call center for families, health providers, and community service providers offering developmental screening and connection to local services and learning activities that support healthy growth for children, ages 0-5. If you have questions about your child’s development, behavior or learning, the Help Me Grow Kentucky Support Specialist will help you find the answers.  The more you know about your child’s growth and learning today, the more you can support your child’s future success.

The Help Me Grow South Carolina State Office is located within South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association. SCIMHA is a multidisciplinary association of professionals working to promote nurturing relationships for infants, young children and their families through resources, policies and practices to foster healthy social-emotional development and well-being.

HMG SC exists to help parents sort through the clutter of raising healthy children. Whether you have concerns or simply want to learn more about your child’s development, HMG SC is here for you. We care about children and their families.

We know that positive relationships, access to health care, proper nutrition, and quality early learning opportunities play a critical role in getting your child off to a great start. Need help? With the state’s only comprehensive resource grid for families, we can plug you into what you need when you need it.

Helping Our Women (HOW) is a resource center for women living with chronic or life threatening conditions. We serve the Outer Cape community from Provincetown to Eastham.

HOW wants to help. To ease the stress of everyday life, HOW provides support services to women in need, so they can focus on wellness and well-being. Women with a chronic health condition who reside in Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro or Provincetown are eligible to receive support. We do not discriminate on the basis of income, marital status, age, race, ethnicity, religion or immigration status.

For more information on programs: https://helpingourwomen.org/our-programs/

To request help from HOW: https://helpingourwomen.org/get-help/#forms

Founded in 1985, Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. (IPUL) is a statewide organization which houses the Idaho Parent Training and Information Center, the Family to Family Health Information Center, Idaho Family Voices and IPUL Arts. Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. envisions inclusive and accessible communities, services, education, and opportunities for children and youth with disabilities and/or unique and special healthcare needs. Idaho Parents Unlimited works with parents, family members, and caregivers of children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs and the professionals who are a part of their lives. While our office is in Boise, we work statewide using technology, and we frequently travel to all regions of the state throughout the year. We assist families who have children of any diagnosis from birth to age 26.

What we do:

• Provide individual assistance to families through calls, emails, and in-person meetings
• Provide options that you may have to resolve any individual issues
• Present monthly training workshops and webinars on a variety of topics
• Provide special request workshops at community events and/or conferences as well as for parent or professional groups
• Advocate for systems, programs, policies, and rules that have an impact on Idaho families
• Provide effective advocacy training and information for families and youth to best advocate for themselves.
• Provide Parent Leadership Development training annually to build on a growing list of parent mentors who can amplify our work across the state.
• Provide scholarships to parents to attend conferences or events related to your child’s disability.
• Provide arts education through our in-school/community center residencies and Work of Art Programs
• Listen and provide support

What we do NOT do:

• Advocate on behalf of an individual child or family
• Attend IEP meetings
• Tell you what you should do
• Provide legal assistance
• Endorse or promote specialty care providers, legal services, or schools/districts
• Provide general parenting training (ie: court ordered classes)
• Provide 24-hour crisis services (we are not a crisis agency)
• Provide routinely scheduled art classes

The Innovative Approaches Project is working to improve the service systems for children and youth with special health care needs from birth to 21. Cabarrus Health Alliance is partnering with Family Support Network of Southern Piedmont to lead this initiative in our community. This system improvement work is being carried out in Cabarrus, Gaston, Rowan and Union counties by working in partnership with medical providers, community agencies and most importantly, parents of children and youth with special health care needs. This initiative is supported through the NC Division of Public Health, Children and Youth Branch.

Tools Offered:

• Getting Started
• Understanding the Diagnosis
• Finding Support
• Organizing Information
• Finding a Medical Home
• Financial Aspects
• Preparing for Transitions
• Special Education
• Emergency Preparedness
• Referral Flowchart (English and Spanish)
• Teach Resource Page

The mission of Woodward Resource Center (WRC) is to prepare and support individuals to live in the community of their choice. Discharge planning begins at admission. Individuals with intellectual disabilities and other related disabilities from throughout the state of Iowa are eligible. There are specific eligibility requirements for each type of service.

Services provided:

• Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with an Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID) Residential Services
• Daily Supported Community Living (SCL)
• Community Outreach Services
• Consultations and Training
• Time-Limited Assessments
• Behavioral Health Services
• Physical Nutrition Management Team
• Autism Services

At Jewish Family & Career Services, we are guided by our Jewish values to ensure all in Greater Louisville live with dignity and purpose. Since 1908, we have served individuals and families of all faiths and backgrounds with a client-centered and compassionate approach.

We take our mission to expand possibilities for each person and every family to meet life’s challenges with confidence seriously at JFCS. Our dedicated professional staff provide services in the areas of Career Services, Counseling Services, Family Strengthening, Jewish Life, Klein Older Adult Services, and JFCS Navigate.

Family Stability Services

• Career Coaching & Counseling
• Emergency Assistance
• Financial Literacy & Coaching
• Individual, Couple & Family Counseling
• The Sonny & Janet Meyer Food Pantry
• Workshops

Klein Older Adults Services

• Care Coordination
• Counseling
• Family Caregiver Support
• Grandparents Raising Children
• Long-Term Care Planning
• PALS Transportation Service
• Senior Concierge Homecare
• Support Groups

Clinical Services 

• Individual, Couple, and Family Counseling
• Parent Coaching
• Personal Coaching
• Psychiatric Medication Assessment & Management
• Support Groups

Career & Economic Opportunity Services 

• Assessment & Exploration
• Counseling & Coaching
• Pre-Employment Transition Services
• Re-credentialing & Career Laddering
• Resource Coordination
• Vocational Evaluation
• Workshops
• Business Marketing Assistance
• Business Training & Consulting
• Education & Credit Building
• Microlending for Underserved Entrepreneurs

Jewish Family Services of WNC (JFS) is an inclusive, welcoming space that provides a broad range of clinical and social support services to adults of all faiths- with special emphasis on the needs of older adults and other under-served community members. Services include the following mental health counseling, case management, food pantry and crisis funding, and spiritual care programs.

The Kansas School for the Deaf is a state-funded school serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students ages 3 to 21. The school provides early childhood (ages 3-4), elementary, secondary, and post-secondary (ages 18 – 21) education. Students have the option to live at home or in dorms, depending on the distance from their house, and are provided with a number of programs and activities. The school provides a number of other support services, including audiology, counseling, speech-language, physical and occupational therapies, and other nutritional and health services. More information on the admissions process can be found at this link.

Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency (KIPDA) provides regional planning, review and technical services in the areas of public administration, social services and transportation as well as community ridesharing programs. KIPDA also coordinates services for persons 60 years of age and over. KIPDA is designated by the Kentucky State Clearinghouse as the regional review agency for virtually all applications for federal and/or state funds made by organizations or governments within the state of Kentucky.

Social Services

KIPDA Social Service’s overarching goal is to support community members to remain and thrive within their communities. With this goal, KIPDA partners with community providers to implement programs to support members in their homes. These services include; Senior Nutrition (Meals on Wheels), Caregiver Services, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Senior Centers, Health Promotion activities, In-home services, State Health Insurance Assistance, and Medicaid Services. In addition, KIPDA provides community planning services as they relate to aging in place.

Community and Economic Development

KIPDA maintains a Community and Economic Development (CED) Division that provides technical assistance to governmental members of the seven Kentucky Counties.

Transportation 

KIPDA serves as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Louisville/Jefferson County KY-IN urbanized area and is also responsible for the Regional Transportation Council (RTC). The MPO consists of Jefferson, Bullitt, and Oldham counties in Kentucky, and Clark and Floyd Counties in Indiana. Our Regional Transportation Council consists of Shelby, Spencer, Henry, and Trimble counties in Kentucky.

Kentucky Education Rights Center (KERC) is a private organization that works with families of children ages 3-21 who have physical and mental disabilities. KERC strives to ensure that each child receives the necessary resources from their public school system to obtain a free and appropriate public education. KERC helps families to navigate the IEP process.

The mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and drug development, partnering with the CF community, and advancing high-quality, specialized care.

Since 1958, Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies is a non-profit outpatient pediatric therapy center with two locations in Louisville, KY. We provide a variety of therapies to children with developmental disabilities or delays, regardless of a family’s financial situation.

Kids Center provides specialized pediatric therapy services in a child, and family-friendly, outpatient center. We take a holistic approach, using multidisciplinary collaboration for the best overall outcome and ability of our patients. Our overarching goal is to improve participation in home and community to achieve maximum quality of life. All of our therapists have experience in pediatrics and pursue continuing education to improve knowledge and stay up-to-date with new interventions and technology. Each child is evaluated to determine their specific strengths and challenges and to develop a plan of care to best help them reach their maximum potential.

Services: 

• Physical therapy
• Speech language therapy
• Behavioral health therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Feeding and nutrition therapy
• Intensives therapy
• Specialized clinics

Kids In Distress, Inc. (KID) is a nationally accredited organization dedicated to preventing child abuse, preserving families, and treating children who have been abused and neglected. Since 1979, when KID was created as a shelter for abused and neglected children, it now possesses a five-acre multiple program campus in Fort Lauderdale, FL and a 4-acre campus featuring two family foster group homes in Southwest Ranches, FL. Our services include individual, family, and group therapy and counseling; preschool, aftercare and summer camp programs; recruitment, training, and support of foster/adoptive homes; and prevention, reunification, family preservation and maternal and child health services.

Kynect offers Kentucky state benefits for qualified individuals and families. Kynect is designed to be your one-stop-shop for the programs and assistance you need no matter who you are, or where you are in life. Below are the Kentucky assistance programs that you can apply for:

• Medicaid and KCHIP
• Premium Assistance
  • Kentucky Integrated Health Insurance Premium Payment Program (KI-HIPP)
• Qualified Health Plan
  • Qualified Health Plan with or without premium payment assistance (APTC) and Cost Sharing Reduction depending on eligibility
• Food Assistance
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Cash Assistance
  • Kentucky Transitional Assistance Program (KTAP)
• Childcare Assistance

Latham Centers was founded in 1970 to provide residential care, education, and treatment for children ages 8–22. We serve intellectually disabled girls and boys with special needs as well as children and adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) whether you live nearby in Massachusetts, in New York, or elsewhere. The programs at Latham Centers provide PWS education and personalized care that can make all the difference for your loved one.

Residential Living 

Students live on our Brewster campus or near campus. Residential staff provides 24-hour care and supervision in a therapeutic and structured environment. Students build confidence and have many opportunities for increased independence as they learn the skills that will help them live as active participants in their communities.

Individual Care & Adaptable Programs 

Our multidisciplinary professional team develops a comprehensive Individual Educational Program (IEP) for each student. These plans are based on a thorough review of the student’s medical, social, and family history, and on assessments of the student’s medical, psychological, educational, and vocational needs. Plans are updated quarterly based on the student’s progress and changing needs.

Educational and Vocational Programs 

Our students learn in small classes, with one-on-one tutoring and counseling. Our program and facilities are geared towards helping students develop job skills, learn to work and live together, explore the world, and love all kinds of learning. Our vocational specialists act as job coaches as they help students learn job skills and find employment.

Medical and Social Services 

Our extensive team includes doctors, nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, special education teachers, and residential and vocational counselors. Our integrated services include individual and group counseling, family casework, art, and recreation therapy.

The Children’s Program 

Latham Centers’ Children’s Program offers educational, vocational, residential, social, clinical, and therapeutic resources. With a low student-to-staff ratio, our separate academic and residential faculty includes licensed teachers and speech, physical, and occupational therapists. Students are able to learn and grow in a multi-sensory environment with technology utilized throughout the school and residential programs. Our instructional methods and therapeutic approaches are researched and validated with social skills and pragmatics integrated into all aspects of the programs. Our master’s level clinicians serve as liaisons from home to school residences.

We organize a wide range of after school and weekend activities so that students have real-life opportunities for the generalization of skills both on- and off-campus. These include sports and vocational opportunities. With comprehensive health care services, Latham Centers is a safe, supportive, structured environment in which to learn and grow.

Latham Centers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are approved as a private Chapter 766 special needs school by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, and we are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and the Department of Early Education and Care, and nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation.

When in-state options are not available, Latham Centers has been approved to admit students from: 

• California
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• New York
• Washington, D.C.

We continue to accept students from states that do not have a formal approval process. Recent students have hailed from Alaska, Ohio, and Virginia.

The Lily’s Hope Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports babies, children, and their families with unexpected and urgent needs due to premature birth. We support our NICU families by providing them with essential items since they have been unable to prepare for their child’s early arrival. Our Lily’s Hope Families that are in the middle of this medical crisis are referred to us by hospital case workers, hospital staff, and word of mouth. We work with each individual family to answer their specific needs by way of our Packages of Hope. Our Packages of Hope include items that can often be expensive and difficult to find. Examples of the care package contents are micro-preemie/preemie clothing, preemie diapers, car seats or car seat beds, bassinets, gift cards for use toward transportation to the NICU, and much more.

To request support: https://www.lilyshopefoundation.org/packageofhope

The Little Miss Hannah Foundation’s mission is to help enhance the quality of life for young children diagnosed with rare, life-limiting, or undiagnosed complex medical needs, as well as children who have been placed in hospice or palliative care. The foundation also gives parents the necessary tools and financial assistance to empower them to meet their child’s unique medical and lifestyle needs, as well as provide support resources and special attention for their other children. We also work to provide support groups for all members of the family by providing fun, family-focused and sibling-focused events and activities.

Programs

1. Medical-Therapy Equipment Assistance
2. College Scholarship
3. Childhood Rare Disease Advocacy
4. Family Support and Activities

Make-A-Wish grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Who is eligible?

• Diagnosed with a critical illness, i.e., a progressive, degenerative or malignant condition that is placing the child’s life in jeopardy.
• Older than 2 1/2 years and younger than 18.
• Has not received a wish from another wish-granting organization.

The mission of Make-A-Wish is to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Tens of thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters advance the Make-A-Wish vision to grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a critical illness. In the United States and its territories, a wish is granted every 34 minutes. A wish can be that spark that helps these children believe that anything is possible and gives them the strength to fight harder against their illness. This one belief guides us and inspires us to grant wishes that change the lives of the kids we serve.

MedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends. It is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world’s largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Our mission is to present high-quality, relevant health and wellness information that is trusted, easy to understand, and free of advertising, in both English and Spanish. Anywhere, anytime, on any device—for free.

Mental Health America of Central Carolinas (MHA) provides mental health programs in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties and surrounding areas in North Carolina. Our programs seek to raise awareness, provide support, and break stigmas associated with mental illness. MHA provides family support services to parents of children with behavioral, emotional, or mental health needs; peer support for adults living with chronic mental illness; and mental health education and preventative trainings to the broader community. MHA’s programs bring together mental health consumers, parents, advocates, and service providers to address systemic issues impacting mental health. MHA’s programs focus on prevention, education, and advocacy. Our work is guided by the B4Stage4 philosophy, the premise that just like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or other physical conditions, early diagnosis and treatment is key to improving mental health and recovery.

MHA provides a full range of mental and community health services to south-central Kansas, and we have done so since 1957.  Our clients range from 3 years old to 103 years old, and we strive to ensure that everyone gets the full benefit of our scope of services.  From housing needs to job training, smoking cessation, addiction treatment, and so much more, our 32 programs provide wrap-around services that commercial therapy offices cannot.

We provide a range of services which includes work with school districts and teachers to address “at risk” behavior in children and youth; housing for seniors and persons with disabilities; aging services including companion services, case management, and care coordination; therapy and medication management for persons with a mental health challenge; and community-based services for adults and children with serious and persistent mental illness.

Addresses and Phone Numbers for Offices:

• Main Office:
  • 555 N Woodlawn Suite 3105, Wichita, Kansas, 67208
  • Phone Number: 316-685-1821
• Counseling Center:
  • 9415 E Harry Suite 800, Wichita, Kansas, 67207
  • Phone Number: 316-652-2590
• Residential Center:
  • 805 S Main, Wichita, Kansas, 67213
  • Phone Number: 316-685-1259

Our mission is to empower our families by promoting the sacredness of our children, by reaffirming the shared responsibility of parenting, and by honoring the traditions of the Tribe.

Our vision is for healthy children who are strengthened by the consistent emotional, physical, educational, social, spiritual, cultural, and financial support of their parents and the Meskwaki tribal community.

Meskwaki Nation Children Support Services (MNCSS) will provide a collaborative platform to address child support in an environment of respect, honestly, humility, and compassion. MNCSS assists families with the following:

• Locating absent parents
• Establishing paternity
• Establishing child support orders
• Modification of child support orders
• Enforcement of child support orders
• Referral to the Meskwaki Elders Circle and access to community support services

The Missouri WIC program provides supplemental food, health care referrals, nutrition education, and breastfeeding promotion and support to eligible pregnant women, new mothers, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five (5). Fathers, grandparents, guardians, and foster parents may also apply for benefits for the children living in their household.

Am I eligible?

• Must live in Missouri.
• Income: Household income may be no more than 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants and MO HealthNet participants of income-qualifying MO HealthNet programs are automatically eligible for WIC benefits.
• Pregnant women, women breastfeeding an infant up to the infant’s first birthday, postpartum women up to six (6) months after delivery or end of pregnancy, infants up their 1st birthday, children up to their 5th birthday.

Mountain Comprehensive Care Center’s mission is to provide quality behavioral healthcare that offers recovery and hope. Our programs have been developed to address the most pressing issues affecting people from all walks of life within our region. We believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. The programs below encompass a broad array of services that share a common goal: to help you gain control of difficulties in your life so that you can focus on what matters the most.

• Addiction services
• Adult behavior health
• Children’s behavior health
• Crisis services
• Developmental/intellectual disability services
• Healing program
• HomePlace clinic
• Housing
• Therapeutic foster care
• Day training/greenhouses
• Runaway & homeless youth

Who is eligible? 

All adults, adolescents, children, and their family members living in the five-county region Big Sandy region (Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike counties) are eligible to obtain services through Mountain Comprehensive Care Center, regardless of income, medical insurance, or other socioeconomic factors. All individuals under the age of 18 must have written parental consent.

NAMI Broward is an organization of families, friends, and individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness. Together, we advocate for better lives for those individuals who have a mental illness. 

NAMI Broward County Area Crisis Line 

Non-Emergency (Broward Sheriff’s Office): 954-765-4321

Full Directory of Services in Broward County: 211 or 954-563-4357

Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Line Emergencies: 911

Genetic Counseling Services identify individuals and families who may have or be at risk to have a genetic condition. Services are focused on providing early intervention, education, diagnosis, and treatment if possible. Genetic counselors from the Children and Youth Branch routinely provide consultation to health care providers on many genetic issues.

Genetic services are available at five medical centers and one community hospital in NC for any infant, child, or adult suspected of having a genetic condition. This also includes services for pregnant women that are at an increased risk to have a baby with birth defects.

The state genetic counselor can assist with:

• referral to genetic evaluations
• genetic counseling
• genetic educational materials
• assistance locating support groups (for specific genetic conditions)

Any individual with a potential genetic disorder is eligible for services. Families who meet financial eligibility are not billed for services.

The North Carolina Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Help Line is a free information and referral  source for caregivers of and professionals who work with children and youth who have or are at risk for chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional conditions, needing health services beyond the care that a child typically needs.

We offer support on a range of topics such as:

• Services available under government and community programs;
• Resources to help pay for medications, equipment/supplies, adaptive devices, utilities or food;
• Available health care and dental providers;
• Information on how to find services when relocating to and within North Carolina;
• Health care transitions, guardianship and alternatives to guardianship.

Wellness visits are an essential part of children’s health. Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit covers a program of regular wellness visits called Health Check.

Wellness visits allow health care providers to carefully monitor a child’s overall health and development, so that health concerns are identified and addressed early.

The required components of a Health Check visit are:

• Comprehensive health and developmental history that assesses for both physical and mental health, as well as for substance use disorders
• Comprehensive, unclothed physical examination
• Appropriate immunizations, in accordance with the schedule for pediatric vaccines established by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
• Laboratory testing (including blood lead screening appropriate for age and risk factors)
• Health education and anticipatory guidance for both the child and caregiver

NAC’s mission is to provide innovative high quality services in support of birth, foster, and adoptive families caring primarily for medically complex children. NAC’s mission includes children with severe physical, emotional, and behavioral challenges and developmental disabilities.

NAC’s services enable children to remain in or to be returned to their families whenever possible or to be adopted by loving families. Working primarily with children whose birth families live in poverty, NAC’s continuum of services ensures that children’s physical, social, educational, recreational, medical, and mental healthcare needs are met. By supporting families NAC prevents lengthy stays in foster care, hospitals, or other institutions. NAC builds on family strengths, provides opportunities, and assists all family members in reaching for and achieving their potential.

Services 

1. Family Support
2. Medical and Mental Health
3. Foster Care & Adoption
4. Education & Youth Development

The New York Mid-Atlantic Caribbean (NYMAC) Regional Genetics Network is one of seven federally-funded regional genetics networks in the United States and Territories. Our network of family groups, health care providers, public health groups, and other partners work together toward a goal of making it easier for families to connect to the genetic services and information they need. Our region includes Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Click here to find a genetics clinic.

The Newborn Screening Program effectively identifies babies with certain disorders and is required for all newborns born in New York State unless the parents confirm, in writing, that they have a religious objection.

Quick Facts about Newborn Screening:

• A small blood sample is collected by pricking your newborn’s heel usually 24-36 hours after birth.
• The blood is used to screen for 50 different disorders.
• There is no charge to you for this service.
• Most newborns will not have one of these disorders.
• Newborns with one of these disorders may look healthy at birth, which is why the testing must be performed to find those with a disorder. The earlier treatment is started, the better the outcome is for your newborn.
• Screening is designed to identify all newborns with the potential for one of these disorders. Further testing is then required to verify whether or not your newborn has the disorder.

We work closely with health care providers to ensure newborns with abnormal test results receive appropriate confirmatory diagnoses and treatment.

No test is perfect. If your newborn’s healthcare provider suspects there is a problem or your newborn does not seem right despite a normal newborn screening result, your newborn may need further testing.

For over three decades, NYSSCAN has been providing an array of support services and programs to children, caregivers, families, and individuals affected with sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and the trait in the Tristate and Metropolitan areas. All of our services are provided FREE OF CHARGE.

We Can Help With:
Information, referrals, and other assistance linking families and individuals to services fitting their needs

Information about sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and the trait

Referrals to hospitals and other healthcare facilities

Referrals and linkages with governmental agencies, community organizations, immigration, and legal services

Hospital/Home visits

Advocacy for patients between their hospitals and providers

Help to sponsor a child for summer camp/respite care

Referrals to family or individual consultation and counseling

Entitlements: SSA, SSI, Medicaid, SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), and other governmental programs

Referral to GED, College, 504/IDEA, job readiness, technical training, life skills, and enrichment programs

Assistance to families in need

Family financial assistance (when funds are available)

The prescription financial assistance program

Clothing assistance

Goods and services

North Carolina Families United is the Statewide Family Network and the State Chapter of the National Federation of Families. NC Families United is a family support and advocacy organization for children and youth with mental health and/or intellectual and developmental diagnoses.

What We Do 

Helping the Community 

• Link families to State and community partners for the purpose of improving the lives of children, youth, and families with emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs.

Reinforcing our Commitment

• Focus active attention on the unique strengths and needs of these children and their families by educating and advising policymakers, service providers, other advocacy organizations.

One Step at a Time 

• Actively promote policies and procedures that serve the best interests of these children, youth, and their families through work with State and local officials. Actively promote, model, and adhere to the values and principles of System of Care.

The North Carolina Early Intervention Section (NCEI) is a part of the N.C. Division of Child and Family Well-Being. It is the lead agency for the N.C. Infant-Toddler Program (ITP). The Infant-Toddler Program provides supports and services for families and their children, birth to three who have special needs. Research shows that this time period is critical. It offers a window of opportunity to make a positive difference in how a child develops and learns. Sixteen Children’s Developmental Services Agencies (CDSAs) across North Carolina work with local service providers to help families help their children succeed.

We offer: 

• Service coordination
• Physical, occupational, and speech-language therapies
• Family support
• Special instruction
• Assistive technology
• Other services

We serve:

Children aged zero to three with certain levels of developmental delay or established conditions, and their families, are eligible for the ITP. No family is denied services because of the inability to pay.

The Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program will collaborate with national, state and community-based partners to link children to appropriate services, close service gaps, reduce duplication and develop policies to better serve families.

The Northeast Regional Center serves the counties of Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago.

We provide families with:

• Condition specific information.
• Up-to-date information and resources in the community, state and nation.
• Problem-solving strategies.
• Health benefits/insurance assistance.
• Finding doctors and dental care.
• Tips on communicating with schools.
• Transition planning resources and consultation.
• Parent-to-parent support and more.

The Northern Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) is a resource for families with children (0-22) who have any type of disability or need help finding a diagnosis.

We also offer parent support with loans from our resource library, scholarships to training and conferences, peer support from staff with lived experiences, and referrals to our statewide Parent-to-Parent support network. The Northern Regional Center office is located in Wausau, Wisconsin and supports 15 counties and 6 tribes. Staff are available to help problem-solve, provide information or make referrals to community, state, and national resources. We regularly travel in the area so can drop off resources, meet for coffee, or host a training in your home community.

Educational support can be found at this link: https://northernregionalcenter.org/information-resources/your-childs-education/

Medical Providers/Physicians can make direct referrals using this form available in English and Spanish: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forms/f0/f01238.pdf

Founded in 1990, the O’Berry Center Foundation improves the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities across the state of North Carolina through family support, community services, education, quality of life initiatives and scholarships.

The Ocean State Center for Independent Living is a non-residential, consumer-driven, community-based, cross-disability, non-profit organization. OSCIL was established in 1988 to provide a range of independent living services to enhance, through self-direction, the quality of life for persons with disability and to promote integration into the community. OSCIL is governed by an active Board of Directors comprised largely of persons having disabilities, who play a major role in setting policy and programming.

Our core services include advocacy, peer support, independent living skills training, information & referral, and transition services.

Main Office: 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02889

Oscil North: 175 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860

Post Road: 1800 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886

The Oklahoma Family Network (OFN) informs and connects individuals with special health care needs and disabilities, their families, and professionals to services and support in their communities.

Our services are designed for the family of any child who has:

• spent time in the NICU or was born premature
• physical disabilities
• cancer
• rare or undiagnosed conditions
• Autism
• Cerebral Palsy
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Down Syndrome
• mental health diagnoses
• behavioral health concerns

The Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition is a membership and networking organization that is made up of individuals who believe that families are the primary influence in the lives of children.  The mission of the Oklahoma Family Resource Coalition is to support resources within our communities that build on family strengths to ensure the best possible outcome for Oklahoma families.  This alliance of committed individuals, both professional and non-professional, share their knowledge and expertise with one another in order to address issues affecting families in Oklahoma.  By joining forces, they are able to increase their own ability to produce resources, build networks, and gather knowledge to help parents in the important job of rearing their children.

The Oklahoma Parents Center (OPC) specializes in special education support for people with disabilities from birth to age 26 and their families. We have been providing services to Oklahoma parents and family members of children with disabilities, young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who serve them since 2000!

Navigating through the special education process can be overwhelming and complex.  You don’t have to go it alone!  The OPC staff is here to equip you with the tools you need to understand the system, work with service providers and schools, and advocate for your student or yourself.

Our goal is to give you the knowledge, skills, support, and tools you need to be the best advocate you can be!  In order to accomplish this, the OPC offers services in three (3) key areas:

1. Individualized Assistance
2. Trainings
3. Information and Resources

Our mission is to provide dynamic programs and services to individuals who have intellectual disabilities and their families, so they may achieve their goals and become fully participating members of our community.

Our Programs: 

• Life Skills
• Employment
• Culinary Training
• Recreation Performing and Fine Arts
• Recreation Health and Fitness
• Recreation Socialization and Respite Activities
• Family Support

The Orr’s Hope Foundation is for Wyoming families facing the many challenges of premature birth and children with medically complex conditions. During this difficult journey, Orr’s Hope Foundation seeks to come along side these families and walk with them, providing support, education, financial assistance for non-medical needs, and connections to other resources to help them thrive as they navigate the many challenges that come through these medical journeys.

Since 1963, the PA Elks Home Service Program has been helping to improve the quality of life for thousands of children and adults through Pennsylvania. We provide support and advocacy services to individuals of any age who have developmental disability.

Services are provided: 

• By a nurse and/or service coordinator
• Without discrimination
• To Pennsylvania residents
• At no charge
• In the person’s home environment

Some ways the Elks Home Service Program can help: 

• Provide in-home service coordination services
• Advocate for an individual’s legal and human rights
• Provide information regarding resources and services available
• Assess needs and help to access equipment
• Advocate for appropriate educational services
• Assist with finding activities within the community
• Offer instruction regarding home care
• Provide emotional support
• Help with vocational goals
• Assist with residential options
• Provide referrals to appropriate agencies in the community
• Interpret clinical findings and act as a liaison between healthcare providers

Who is Eligible

An individual of any age who has a developmental disability. This is a disability that is manifested before the person reaches 22 years of age. It may result in physical or mental delays or in a combination of both. Services can continue through a person’s lifetime if needed.

Making a Referral

Referrals can be made by health care professionals, school personnel, community agencies, family members or friends. Permission must first be obtained from the individual or family.

PA Parent and Family Alliance is a state-wide program of the Allegheny Family Network. At the PAT Parent and Family Alliance, we’ve designed one-of-a-kind, no-cost resources for parents whose children are experiencing mental health challenges because we believe that parents are the best advocates for their children.

We support parents in three ways:

1. Individualized support from a Family Support Partner (FSP). This unique resource pairs parents with Family Support Partners- professional resource navigators who share the lived experience managing their child’s mental health challenge. Family Support Partners provide intensive, 1:1 confidential support to parents to work through their toughest challenges, free of charge.
2. Support Groups. We host weekly online support groups where parents can connect to share their experiences and advice with one another.
3. Information and Resources. We develop fact sheets, articles, webinars, and trainings to equip parents with the knowledge they need to navigate their child’s mental health challenge.

PACT: Helping Children with Special Needs began as a demonstration project at the University of Maryland Hospital, Department of Pediatrics in 1978. Funded by Maryland Children’s Medical Services, it was one of Maryland’s first early intervention programs for infants and toddlers who were are high risk for or who had identified developmental delays.

At PACT, we strongly believe that parents, families and caregivers should play an integral role in their children’s treatment and care. We are committed to working closely with you and other caregivers to provide you with information and training on how you can best foster your child’s developmental progress. We are also aware that many parents are struggling with the multiple challenges of raising children with special needs while, at the same time, meeting the needs of other family members. All of our programs offer counseling, information and assistance in obtaining services for you and your child and assistance in helping your child transition to other programs when they leave PACT.

PACT Programs 

• World of Care: specialized child care center designed to meet the individual needs of children who have medical conditions requiring daily nursing care and children with developmental disabilities who require multiple therapies (physical, occupational, or speech/language).
• Pre-K Classroom: as a part of World of Care, PACT offers a free Pre-K program for children ages 4 and 5 with special healthcare needs and living in Central Maryland.
• Therapeutic Nursery: specialized child care services and Early Head Start program for children under the age of three and their families who are currently living in homeless shelters. The program focuses on mental health interventions to promote parent child attachment and enhance stability in the family.

The Palmetto Pre-K Portal is your one-stop shop for finding free educational preschool programs in South Carolina. This portal allows you to search based on zip code and eligibility to see at a glance your available program options.

Parent to Parent of New York State, which began in 1994, is a statewide not for profit organization established to support and connect families of individuals with special needs. We have several offices located throughout New York State staffed by Regional Coordinators who are parents or close relatives of individuals with special needs.

Parent to Parent of NYS is where families of individuals with special needs and the professionals who serve them can meet and share information.

We are on the same journey and are here to help other families:

• Support – We offer parents/caregivers the opportunity to connect one-to-one with a parent/caregiver of an individual with the same or similar disability or special health care need – someone who has “been there.”
• Information & Referral – We help families and professionals locate the information and services they need
• Training – Workshops are available on various topics to both family and professional audiences

At Parent to Parent PA we are always striving to expand our reach to families who have a child or adult with a disability or special need. In those efforts, we have helped to create and administer the following support programs: Early Intervention Infant Toddler and Early Intervention Preschool Direct Referral programs (EI Direct Referrals); Pediatric Therapy Professionals “Family Connection” program (PTP); Neonatal Intensive Care Parent Support programs (NICU’s); Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP- Trisomy 21 Parent Peer program and Pulmonary Hypoplasia program) and the Family Connections for Language and Learning program.

Our mission is to empower families as advocates and partners in improving education and health outcomes for children with disabilities and special healthcare needs with a commitment to diversity and equity.

One-on-One Support

PPMD offers families individualized support from someone who knows what it means to have a child with a disability or a special healthcare need. Our team has firsthand knowledge of the special education and healthcare process.  Please contact us with questions to receive support as it relates to your specific family needs.

Training

PPMD offers a variety of interactive trainings for parents and professionals. The trainings provide a combination of information and resources through the use of hands-on activities. PPMD facilitates training opportunities that allow parents and professionals to connect with others with similar experiences.

Referrals

PPMD is here to help. If you are unable to locate resources or information on our website, please contact us for further assistance or a referral to the receive support specific to the needs of your child.

Information

PPMD offers information and resources to support families of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. Please contact us for information specific to your child needs.

Our mission is to connect and empower families, children, and youth living with disabilities or special healthcare needs through support, education, and advocacy.

PATH Offers many programs and services to families of children with special needs: 

• One-to-one, personal support, and information by phone with our health information specialists and parent support staff.
• Support and information to moms-to-be on bed-rest, parents of premature babies, and parents of babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
• Support, outreach, and resources to families in need of genetic information.
• Support and information on specific disabilities, including but not limited to Autism, Down syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, ADHD, and learning disabilities, to help families better understand their child’s healthcare and overall needs.
• Help understanding how to navigate the healthcare system, including applying for insurance and finding medical specialists/providers in your area.
• Information and assistance applying for programs and services that may be available to children with special needs and their families in the state of Connecticut, including Birth to 3, DDS, SSI, Section 8 housing.
• Help learning how to advocate for your child with special needs, both in a medical and educational settings.
• Help understanding your child’s educational evaluations and Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and 504 plans.
• Trainings and webinars to help parents become their child’s best advocate.
• Trainings for both parents and professionals on cultural and linguistic competency.
• Educational support and advocacy. PATH is often able to assist families with educational support in the school setting, attending PPT/IEP and 504 meetings. Our goal is to help parents become better advocates for their children. We ask that parents who use this educational advocacy support participate in at least two parenting trainings with our organization. In the event that we are unable to provide educational advocacy services, parents will be provided with a list of special education attorneys in the state of Connecticut.

Day care for medically fragile infants and children age 0-21. Cares for children with developmental, neuromuscular & cognitive disorders, genetic disorders, and health conditions that require skilled nursing. Support services include occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language therapy, and an educational curriculum. Transportation is provided. As of July 2022, hours of operation are 7:30am to 5:30pm.

Penfield Children’s Center creates a positive start in life for infants and children, many of whom have developmental delays or disabilities, by providing early education, health services, and family Our professional and caring staff include speech pathologists, physical and occupational therapists, special education teachers, nurses and certified nursing assistants, social workers, and early education and child care professionals.

The Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a systematic team process used to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning. SAP is designed to assist in identifying issues including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and mental health issues which pose a barrier to a student’s success. The primary goal of the Student Assistance Program is to help students overcome these barriers so that they may achieve, advance, and remain in school. While Student Assistance Programs exist in other areas of the country, the structure and operation of the program in Pennsylvania is a unique expression of an integrated model serving the needs of Pennsylvania families and students.

Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children, known as PA’s Promise, is a campaign to help families make good choices about their child’s early learning and choose quality early learning programs that are right for their family.

Pervasive Parenting Center is a not-for-profit organization made up of families, local educators, community leaders, and health-care professionals. We strive to provide a better life for the families in eastern Oklahoma who are coping with disabilities because we work and live with those same issues every day.

Our mission is to provide assistance to families in eastern Oklahoma affected by autism and other disabilities. 100% of the proceeds from donations go to help bring resources to families in the eastern Oklahoma area coping with disabilities. We have used the funds to help bring conferences, trainings, and other events to LeFlore, Sequoyah, and Haskell counties.

In rural eastern Oklahoma the resources for families coping with disabilities are limited. This tends to leave parents unaware of what is available. The Pervasive Parenting Center helps provide families with a place to find answers to questions about what is available to them. We also assist in applying for and receiving those resources. This is achieved through networking with existing state and federal programs.

We help offer local schools, organizations, communities, and businesses training to help provide people with disabilities a better life. By providing workshops and continuing education courses we can help inform people in rural areas about subjects ranging from inclusion in the classroom, people first language, emergency personnel training, sexuality, and assistive technology.

We also work with families in schools to help them understand their rights, and advocate to make sure they are receiving the services they need. This includes advocating in Individual Education Program (IEP) Meetings.

Pilot Parents of Southern Arizona is committed to providing encouragement and support to families who have children with special needs so that their children can reach their maximum potential within the family and society. All of our programs and services are offered free of charge without regard of the child’s disabilities, age, family income, qualifying conditions or other eligibility factors.

Available services include:

• Advocacy Training (Partners in Leadership)- a leadership training program for parents of children with disabilities and for young adults with disabilities who want to further themselves as self-advocates.
• Sibshop is a workshop providing information to siblings of children with special needs based on a national model developed by Don Meyer.

Walk-in Clinics:

Marshalltown Medical Clinic

412 E Church Street
Marshalltown, IA 50158
(641) 753-4021

Dental Services

Dental Services

Dental Services

Dental Services

Protect TX Fragile Kids (PTFK) is a grass-roots, non-profit organization (501(c)(4)) founded and run by parents of medically fragile Texas children.  Our stated mission is:

(a) To give a voice to Texas’ most fragile citizens; (b) To inform, educate, and support families of children with disabilities; (c) To fight for what is right for children with special medical needs and disabilities; (d) To champion public policy which supports and protects the well-being of children with disabilities and complex medical needs; (e) To monitor existing and proposed legislation impacting children with disabilities; (f) To empower families with children who have disabilities and complex medical needs to connect with elected officials in order to promote understanding of this life.

We are dedicated to advocating, educating, and informing families and elected officials alike about what it is like to provide a hospital-level of care in the home, and live with a child who has significant medical needs and requires constant care and medical intervention to stay alive. Above all, we are dedicated to advocating on behalf of the best interests of vulnerable, sick little Texans, who have no voice and desperately need someone to speak on their behalf and defend their interests. If the State of Texas is truly committed to a culture of life, then appropriate care for our state’s sickest kids must be a priority. Morally, financially and politically,  it is in the best interests of the state of Texas to protect their most fragile little citizens.

Raising Special Kids exists to improve the lives of children with the full range of disabilities, from birth to age 26, by providing support, training, information and individual assistance so families can become effective advocates for their children.

Raising Special Kids began in 1979 as a grass-roots effort of families, professionals, and community leaders determined to provide support and information for parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs. Today, Raising Special Kids serves as Arizona’s Family-to-Family Health Information Center, and as Arizona’s Parent Training and Information Center. Helping parents access information about health care, community resources, and support services so they can make informed decisions regarding their children’s care has been our mission from the beginning. We support thousands of Arizona families each year through our programs and services.

Supports for Community Living (SCL) is a home and community based wavier under the Kentucky Medicaid program and was developed for Kentucky residents as an alternative to institutional care for an individual with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. REACH of Louisville provides host homes, day training, and related support services. Services include residential support (adult foster care/family home provider), REACH Adult Training Program (RAP) and Respite Services. SCL is a home and community based waiver under the Kentucky Medicaid program. SCL allows the person to remain an active member of the community.

Who is Eligible? 

Individuals with a diagnosis of intellectual and developmental disabilities who meet the requirements for residential services in an Intermediate Care Facility for persons with mental retardation (ICF/MR), and who receive Medicaid and meet other Medicaid requirements, are eligible for SCL services. Currently, there is a waiting list to receive an SCL waiver.

Red Treehouse is a program of the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Northeast Ohio, Inc. (RMHC NEO).

RMHC® NEO, a nonprofit organization, enhances the healthcare experience for families and children through comfort, care and supportive services.

Our Ronald McDonald House® (RMH) and hospital-based Ronald McDonald Family Room® programs help families stay near the care their sick or injured children need. Our STAR Center and Care Mobile® improve access to outpatient treatment and preventive care, and Redtreehouse.org provides resources and information to support family health and well-being.

Redtreehouse.org is a free, easy-to-access and reliable tool for professionals, especially those working with families, children, and young adults.

It was designed to be used by both families and professionals to encourage sharing of resources, dialogue and partnership.

RIPIN is a 501(c)(3), charitable, nonprofit organization established in 1991 by a passionate group of parents of children with special needs. These parents recognized that together they could provide support through sharing essential information and helping to find the resources they needed for their loved ones. This peer model continues to be at the heart of our work and has lead RIPIN’s network to expand statewide. Today we have over 100 employees, most of whom have personal experience caring for a loved one with special health care or educational needs.

The RIPIN Call Center offers free support to any Rhode Islander who needs help accessing healthcare, health insurance, or special education for children with disabilities.

RIPIN helps any Rhode Islander, from infants to seniors.
We can help you navigate:

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Nashville is to keep families close by providing essential resource and a “home-away-from-home” for families of critically ill children receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville area hospitals.

Who can stay at RMHC of Nashville?

Families with critically ill children, 18 years or younger, receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville area hospitals who live 40 miles from the Nashville Ronald McDonald House.

How can I stay at RMHC of Nashville?

Families must be referred by a social worker. A referral is not a reservation. RMHC of Nashville staff makes room assignments based on room availability, severity of diagnosis, and distance traveled.

What is the cost to stay at RMHC of Nashville?

Cost is $15 per night, but no one is turned away due to their inability to pay. We accept cash, check, or major credit cards.

Believing that every family deserves access to healthcare, RMHC-Madison creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. Guiding us in our mission are our core values:

• Lead with compassion
• Focus on the critical needs of families and children
• Celebrate the diversity of our people, families, and programs
• Support the health and wellbeing of families and their children
• Value the tradition and heritage of RMHC and the communities we serve
• Steward resources with accountability and transparency

Established in 1988, Save the Family Foundation of Arizona is a leading provider of housing, case management and supportive services to more than 650 homeless and impoverished families annually throughout Maricopa County. We work to equip families to overcome underlying issues that lead to homelessness – ensuring stable homes, safe children and strong families because of our efforts.

Our programs complement each family’s goals and include career services, budgeting classes, parenting classes, other life-skills classes, and access to in-house mental health and substance abuse support. We also provide drop-in child care, afterschool and summer programs for children – all focused on halting cycles of homelessness and poverty. Supportive services are also available to families residing in Affordable Rental Movement (ARM) of Save the Family’s affordable housing, and we provide eviction prevention services for families throughout the East Valley.

The Social Development Commission (SDC) has served as a planner, coordinator, and provider of human service programs for low-income individuals and families in Milwaukee County for more than 50 years. Their mission is to empower people with the resources to move beyond poverty. Programs offered by SDC include emergency, career, education, financial, mental health & wellness, nutrition, residential, senior, and youth services.

Sooner SUCCESS works intimately with both the public and private sectors with the overarching goal to promote a comprehensive, coordinated system of health, social and educational services for Oklahoma children and youth with special healthcare needs in their local community.

Sooner SUCCESS Coordinators assist families by: 

• Discussing available resources that fit the family’s unique situation.
• Providing a county-specific resource guide of available services and supports.
• Supporting families as they complete complex application forms for services or prepare for meetings with service providers.
• Helping them locate specialty services – medical, counseling, speech and hearing, vision, nutrition, etc.
• Helping them learn more about their child’s needs and condition by providing printed information or links to trustworthy websites.
• Providing materials and guidance to families as they create their own Care Notebook to organize health/education information for their child.
• Providing emotional support during times of stress as well as recommendations for long-term peer support groups and networks.
• Providing contact and eligibility information for critical support programs such as the Respite Voucher System, Medicaid, Sooner Start, TEFRA, and the Family Support Assistance Program.
• Developing and organizing community projects to benefit children with special needs.  Past projects have included mobile dental clinics, home/school renovations, social/recreation events, information fairs, and health screening events.
• Organizing local and regional training workshops for parents on special needs topics.

The South Carolina Cancer Alliance is a multi-disciplinary network bringing cancer prevention practices and life-enhancing resources to everyone in the state. This collaborative of cancer experts, community organizations and dedicated volunteers develops, implements and funds the SC Cancer Plan: South Carolina’s most effective roadmap to delivering greater access and equity in the fight against cancer.

SC Child Care Resource & Referral (SC CCR and R) is a team of dedicated, experienced early care and education (ECE) professionals working to promote high-quality early care and education in South Carolina. We provide free, statewide services to South Carolina’s families, early childhood programs, and communities in our efforts to connect, support, and engage ECE stakeholders across the state.

We work to alleviate poverty, create opportunities, and increase the financial stability for low-income people so that every member of our communities – regardless of income – can live with dignity, reach their fullest potential, and enjoy all that is wonderful about life on the South Shore.

We collaborate with hundreds of community partners to provide a range of programs to meet household needs, including childcare, transportation, housing and utility assistance, food and nutrition.

The Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program will collaborate with national, state and community-based partners to link children to appropriate services, close service gaps, reduce duplication and develop policies to better serve families.

The Center serves the counties of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Kenosha, Racine, Ozaukee, Walworth, Washington, and Jefferson.

We provide families with:

• Condition specific information.
• Up-to-date information and resources in the community, state and nation.
• Problem-solving strategies.
• Health benefits/insurance assistance.
• Finding doctors and dental care.
• Tips on communicating with schools.
• Transition planning resources and consultation.
• Parent-to-parent support and more.

The Southern Regional Center (SRC) is dedicated to supporting all families with children and youth with special health care needs/disabilities and the providers who serve them. The SRC is staffed by specialists who can help get answers, find services, connect you to community resources, provide trainings and support you on your journey. Our Center serves the following counties: Adams, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Grant, Green, Iowa, Juneau, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk and Vernon.

The Wisconsin Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Program is funded by the Maternal Child Health Title V Block Grant. The CYSHCN Program is located in the Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, Bureau of Family and Community Health. The philosophy and principles of this Program are:

• Children are best served within their families.
• Children and families are best supported within the context of their community.
• Families will have convenient access to care coordination.
• Collaboration is the best way to provide comprehensive services.
• Family perspectives and presence must be included in all aspects of the system.

Southwest Human Development strengthens the foundation Arizona’s children need for a great start in life.

The first five years of life are the most critical in a child’s development. At Southwest Human Development, our services improve lives and help families by supporting young children and their caregivers during this important time.

In partnership with families, we provide children with the care, attention and support needed to set them on a path to success in school and life, and help them reach their fullest capabilities.

We are Arizona’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to early childhood development and our 900 staff members provide 40 programs and services to 140,000 children, families and professionals each year

SPAN provides individuals assistance, training, and support for families, youth, and professionals on early childhood, education, health and mental health, human services, disability, transition to adult life, and family-professional partnerships, focusing on families with children and youth at greatest risk due to disability, specialist healthcare needs, race ethnicity, immigrant status, language, socio-economic status, geographic location, etc. SPAN also provides community doula support and advocacy for pregnant African-American and black women to reduce disparities in Black maternal and infant health.

Special Kids is a Christian therapy and nursing center for children with special needs. We serve children from birth to 21-years old with a wide variety of diagnoses, from developmental delays to medically fragile. As a nonprofit organization, we are committed to serving every child in need, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. The support from the community allows us to continue in our vision to meet the needs of everyone, one child, one family, one community at a time.

Services include:

• Nursing services (medical care)
• Camp ability (fun)
• Physical therapy (gross motor)
• Speech therapy (communication)
• Occupational therapy (fine motor)
• Feed therapy (eating)

Visit this link for additional information on receiving services from Special Kids: https://www.specialkidstn.com/getting-started

Supporting You provides individuals the opportunity to gain support from a peer who has experienced a similar situation and/or circumstance in life who can share ideas, resources, and provide a listening ear during a time of need.

Developed in partnership with the Bureau of Family Health Family Advisory Council, our goal is for Kansans to gain support from a caring and compassionate peer who shares a connection and is willing to tell their own personal story, while they walk alongside someone else as they tell theirs.

At the present time, there are two participating programs with Support You:

1. Kansas Special Health Care Needs program: Families of children with special health care needs. Primarily focused on those with medically complex conditions or physical disability.
2. Kansas School for the Deaf: Families of children with hearing loss.

The Tennessee Disability Coalition is an alliance of organizations and individuals joined to promote the full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life.

To support this mission, the Coalition offers the following programs:

• Public Policy Program
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Program
• Family Voices of Tennessee
• WorkAbleTN
• Brain Links
• Discretionary Small Grants Program

The Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS) is a program that provides services to infants and young children who have disabilities or other developmental delays. The TEIS program is a critically important program to supporting young children and their families to reach their optimal development.

You may make a referral to TEIS by completing our online referral form or by calling (800) 852-7157. The referral form can also be found in the MyTN app, available on your app store. Please be prepared to provide the child’s name, date of birth, county of residence, parent information (if someone other than the parent calls), and reason for referral.

We work to educate patients, students, genetic counselors, and other clinicians to help genetic counseling and genetic testing become better and more accessible.

What we do and how we do it

• Promote genetic education for current and prospective genetics professionals in Tennessee and surrounding states
  • Host annual educational conference and workshops
• Increase patient access to genetic counseling services
  • Support National Society of Genetic Counselors federal advocacy initiatives
  • Provide support and resources to help TN genetic counselors secure licensure
• Provide genetic resources to patients, clinicians, and students
  • Advise patients and clinicians considering a genetic counseling appointment
  • Connect prospective genetic counseling students with education and shadowing opportunities
• Support organizations and research geared toward improving the lives of our patients
  • Offer grants for genetics-focused research
  • Offer grants for prospective students applying to genetic counseling graduate programs

Texas Parent to Parent provides support, information, and education for families of children and adults with disabilities, chronic and mental health conditions, and other health care needs.

Red Cross volunteers and staff work to deliver vital services – from providing relief and support to those in crisis, to helping you be prepared to respond in emergencies.

The Arc Maryland is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the rights and quality of life of persons with I/DD and their families. We do this through public policy, advocacy, public awareness, and training and membership support.

We are a membership-based organization of 8,000 members. With our ten local chapters serving 19 counties and Baltimore City, we encompass all ages and more than 100 different diagnoses including intellectual disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. Our local network of chapters provides a wide range of human services and other supports to people with I/DD and their family members, including individual and public policy advocacy, residential, educational, and vocational services, employment, family supports and early intervention that promote people with I/DD to participate and be included in their communities.

The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

The Arc Tennessee has a team of experienced advocates that work directly with individuals to solve problems, connect them to resources, develop advocacy skills, or assist with a wide array of specific needs. Individual advocacy services are designed to assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in understanding their rights and identifying opportunities to pursue and achieve their dreams. Our overall goal is to empower individuals to effectively advocate for themselves. Individual advocacy services are free to individuals and families. The Arc Tennessee can provide information when legal issues are involved, but The Arc Tennessee does not provide legal advocacy services when legal issues are involved. We also provide educational support, mentor programs, and transition from childhood to adult programs.

The Arc Wisconsin advocates for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families to improve their quality of life; expand opportunities; and to increase their full inclusion in all aspects of community throughout their lifetimes. The Arc Wisconsin strives to promote awareness and respect for the value, contributions and rights of all people with I/DD. Since 1960, The Arc Wisconsin has served individuals and their families through our locally affiliated chapters across the state. The Arc Wisconsin works to develop programs and advocate for public policy giving people with I/DD the opportunity to learn, live, and work inclusively in their communities.

Supports and services offered by our chapters include:

• Information and referral services;
• Individual advocacy to address education, employment, health care and other concerns;
• Self-advocacy initiatives;
• Residential support;
• Family support;
• Employment programs; and
• Leisure and recreational programs

The Arc Wisconsin is a chapter of the national organization, the Arc. The goal of this organization is to provide resources and advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Resources for children and adults are listed here: https://arcwi.org/arc-resources/

The Center for Courageous Kids (CCK) is a not for profit medical camp facility founded by the late Ms. Elizabeth Turner Campbell and opened in 2008. She was inspired to create a place where children living with life threatening illnesses and their families could come free of charge and have fun, find respite, feel normal and forget about their everyday struggles.

During CCK’s summer camp sessions, children have the opportunity to meet a community of peers living with the same medical condition. The relationships made with other children who understand their daily struggles and challenges provide a sense of comfort and hope in knowing they are not alone.

CCK provides 24/7 medical coverage for the diagnosed child while they attend camp. Our medical staff operate from an on-site care center including a pharmacy and helipad. Additionally, CCK is located less than a mile away from the nearest Emergency Room.

CCK offers a great mix of indoor and outdoor activity options for every child to choose something they will enjoy doing. There are many opportunities to freely choose activities within the planned program schedule so that every child can try something new!

The Clearinghouse, a program sponsored by PACE, assists PA residents over the age of 18 with social and life services. Local, state, and national resources are suggested based on an individuals needs. The Clearinghouse connects people to medical and prescription programs, food programs, housing assistance, and social and life services.

Eligibility 

To use the Clearinghouse program persons must be Pennsylvania residents and over the age of 18. There is no defined income limit. Each program and services has specific income guidelines. Trained staff will review and explain each program.

Is there a fee?

The Clearinghouse does not charge a fee. However, some assistance programs have fees which will be discussed prior to enrollment.

The mission of The Coordinating Center is to partner with people of all ages and abilities and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health, and meaningful community life.

Programs and Services

Maryland’s Autism Waiver allows eligible children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder to receive waiver and Medicaid services to support them in their homes and communities. The Coordinating Center is contracted by local school systems to provide case management for their students on the Autism Waiver in Dorchester, Harford, Howard and Worcester counties.

DDA Services: The Coordinating Center partners with the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) to provide Coordination of Community Services (CCS) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Our expert Coordinators can help you plan for the future, and meet your personal goals.

The Family Resource Fund provides clients of The Coordinating Center with financial assistance to purchase items or services that are not covered by Medicaid or Medicare. The fund accepts the following types of requests:

• Critical/Safety Need- fund allocation limited to $500 or less for current fiscal year
• Housing stability (rent, security, deposit or utilities)- fund allocation limited to $500 or less for one-time only
• Quality of Life- fund allocation limited to $300 or less for current fiscal year

Home and Community-Based Services: The Coordinating Center provides supports planning services to older adults and individuals with disabilities who live and want to remain in the community or are living in a Maryland nursing facility and want to move to a home.

The Coordinating Center works in a cooperative arrangement with Montgomery County, Maryland’s Department of Housing and Human Services (DHHS) to provide service coordination and supportive services to formerly homeless individuals through the Housing Initiative Program (HIP).

The Coordinating Center assists with the intake and eligibility process for the Model Waiver. Currently there is a prioritized waiting list and applications are processed in the order they are received. Model Waiver is a Maryland Medicaid program, which allows medically fragile individuals, before the age of 22 years to live at home. Without this benefit, these individuals would be hospitalized, as their medical needs require hospital or nursing facility level of care. Under the Waiver, the parents’ income and assets are waived during the financial eligibility process even though the child continues to live in the community with their parent(s).

The Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) Program is Maryland’s, case managed, fee for service alternative to HealthChoice Managed Care Organization (MCO) participation. The REM Program is for individuals receiving Maryland Medical Assistance with a qualifying diagnosis that is rare in occurrence and expensive to treat. The purpose of the program is to provide community-based care coordination services for people with specialized health care needs, providing access to high quality, medically appropriate health care services in a cost effective setting outside of a managed care organization.

The mission of The Coordinating Center is to partner with people of all ages and abilities and those who support them in the community to achieve their aspirations for independence, health, and meaningful community life.

Programs and Services

Maryland’s Autism Waiver allows eligible children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder to receive waiver and Medicaid services to support them in their homes and communities. The Coordinating Center is contracted by local school systems to provide case management for their students on the Autism Waiver in Dorchester, Harford, Howard and Worcester counties.

DDA Services: The Coordinating Center partners with the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) to provide Coordination of Community Services (CCS) for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Our expert Coordinators can help you plan for the future, and meet your personal goals.

The Family Resource Fund provides clients of The Coordinating Center with financial assistance to purchase items or services that are not covered by Medicaid or Medicare. The fund accepts the following types of requests:

• Critical/Safety Need- fund allocation limited to $500 or less for current fiscal year
• Housing stability (rent, security, deposit or utilities)- fund allocation limited to $500 or less for one-time only
• Quality of Life- fund allocation limited to $300 or less for current fiscal year

Home and Community-Based Services: The Coordinating Center provides supports planning services to older adults and individuals with disabilities who live and want to remain in the community or are living in a Maryland nursing facility and want to move to a home.

The Coordinating Center works in a cooperative arrangement with Montgomery County, Maryland’s Department of Housing and Human Services (DHHS) to provide service coordination and supportive services to formerly homeless individuals through the Housing Initiative Program (HIP).

The Coordinating Center assists with the intake and eligibility process for the Model Waiver. Currently there is a prioritized waiting list and applications are processed in the order they are received. Model Waiver is a Maryland Medicaid program, which allows medically fragile individuals, before the age of 22 years to live at home. Without this benefit, these individuals would be hospitalized, as their medical needs require hospital or nursing facility level of care. Under the Waiver, the parents’ income and assets are waived during the financial eligibility process even though the child continues to live in the community with their parent(s).

The Rare and Expensive Case Management (REM) Program is Maryland’s, case managed, fee for service alternative to HealthChoice Managed Care Organization (MCO) participation. The REM Program is for individuals receiving Maryland Medical Assistance with a qualifying diagnosis that is rare in occurrence and expensive to treat. The purpose of the program is to provide community-based care coordination services for people with specialized health care needs, providing access to high quality, medically appropriate health care services in a cost effective setting outside of a managed care organization.

Since 1952, the Council has empowered Kentuckians with IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) and their families to live their best life- full of love, support, and resources.

Education 

We empower people with IDD and their families by connecting them to all the resources they have at their disposal. We offer webinars, presentation series and training opportunities to help our families navigate life with knowledge and ease.

Advocacy 

Part of life with IDD means we must advocate for equal rights and access to care. At our core, we are an advocacy organization- we believe people with IDD should be seen, heard, and given equal opportunities as the neurotypical population.

Support 

Knowing that others have walked the same path makes all the difference. Here at the Council, that’s what we do- we share our experiences, resources, and share our support. We offer one-on-one counseling or support groups that meet regularly.

When a loved one is diagnosed with an illness or health concern, you need access to clear, reliable information. The Emily Center at Phoenix Children’s is a place you can go for answers to your health-related questions and more. Our aim is to provide personalized health information, patient education, support, and guidance to help you navigate the healthcare journey.

Visit us on the first floor of Phoenix Children’s Thomas Campus East Building for trusted information and personalized guidance from nurses and other specialists. We staff the Emily Center with bilingual team members to better serve our Spanish-speaking families. Community members and the public are welcome, too. We will offer support and help you learn more about children’s health, mindfulness, resiliency, and overall wellness.

The Emily Center opened in 1990, inspired by a former patient at Phoenix Children’s. As a young girl, Emily Anderson, fought a rare form of adult leukemia for four years. She lost her battle just a few days before her 7th birthday.

During Emily’s illness, her parents wanted to know more about their daughter’s disease. They struggled to find health information presented in easy-to-understand language.

Emily’s parents co-founded the Emily Center to help others in similar situations find reliable, evidence-based health information they could use. They wanted a place where children and loved ones could go to learn about a health condition and care options. They wanted the information to be guided by licensed nurse experts who specialize in pediatric health information and education.

Watch a video about Emily’s story to see what inspired the Emily Center at Phoenix Children’s.

You can also explore our online health information and external health library.

The Extension Institute of Health & Well-Being works to catalyze positive change in Wisconsin families through evidence-based programs focused on nutrition, food security and safety, chronic disease prevention, mental health promotion, and prevention of substance abuse.  Rooted in both urban and rural communities, we’re working together to help solve the state’s most pressing well-being needs and to ensure that all Wisconsinites live stronger, healthier lives.

Behavioral Health 

• Working with local leaders to create healthier communities by building community skills, tools, and resources to promote health.

Healthy Eating and Active Living

• Helping communities provide accessible and safe physical activity spaces and food sources.

FoodWIse

• Providing nutrition education to advance healthy eating habits and active lifestyles for families with limited incomes.

Find your local County Extension Office: https://counties.extension.wisc.edu/

The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is dedicated to providing “a different kind of healing” to seriously ill children and their families, free of charge. We are a community that celebrates the spirit of childhood, the sound of laughter and the feeling of endless possibility. Our goal is to create ongoing Camp connections where children- and families in all the forms they come in- are not alone in their challenges and are more than a diagnosis. All programming is intentionally designed to meet every individual’s unique needs and offered at no cost to families thanks to generosity of others.

At its Connecticut location, Hole in the Wall offers its signature summer program for children with serious illnesses and siblings along with Family Weekends in the spring and fall.

With plans to open in the summer of 2023, the Maryland location will provide family-inclusive programming for those most impacted by serious illness.

The year-round Hospital Outreach Program (HOP) brings the hopeful, playful spirit of Hole in the Wall to children and families in the clinical setting. Taking the activities and experiences of Camp and transporting them to kids’ bedsides and playrooms, the program helps restore joy and laughter in a time of fear, stress, and uncertainty.

Through the year, Hole in the Wall offers regional events in camper hometowns, and home visits and retreats for parents and caregivers throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

The Junior League Family Resource Center is a place to get information about your child’s medical condition or disability. We have a family health library, information about community resources and supports, and a family business center. All our services are free of charge. We are available to help you by phone, email, fax or in person.

Our Family Health Library features resources such as:

• Autism packets
• Picture communication kits to support non-verbal children
• Pediatric health library
• Parenting information
• Books for kids on medical conditions, coping, emotions, and being a sibling of a child with special needs

You may request an information packet on your child’s condition and we will do the medical research for you. Email us at [email protected] to request a packet.

Lee Zimmerman, CEO and Founder of The Kidz Club, recognized the need for children with medical complexities to have access to daily nursing care, therapies, and friends – all in an enriching environment. His goal to positively impact the whole family unit through the care of these special children led to the establishment of The Kidz Club, the first Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care facility in Kentucky.

The Kidz Club was founded out of compassion and a commitment to improve, empower, and enrich the lives of children with medical complexities as well as their families.

Children with disabilities have the right to be given opportunities that allow them to live to their fullest potential. Too often, parents raising these children feel isolated socially and burdened financially, emotionally and physically. They are forced to make hard decisions and sacrifice substantially in areas that most could not imagine. The Lollipop Kids Foundation exists to combat social stigmas, ease the financial burden placed on these families, offer emotional support and provide a brief respite so that every child with a disability has access to a hope and a future.

Programs and services include:

• Durable Medical Equipment (DME) closet
• Kyle Morgan Summer Accessible Sailing
• Sensory Friendly Haircuts
• LolliFIT
• Support & Play Groups

The Focus on Family and Disability Seminar Series is a forum to educate diverse audiences from students and faculty to service providers, community stakeholders, and family members. The series is offered in conjunction with the Family Support Network.

Program topics include current issues, policies and research, and evidence-based approaches in health, education, and disability.

Focus on Family and Disability Seminar Series programs for 2022-2023 are available! Register to attend.

Individuals with IDD/Special Needs, Self-Advocates, and their families can attend Focus on Family and Disability Seminars for FREE.

Unique provides support, information and networking to families affected by rare chromosome and gene disorders.  Patient guides available in English and Spanish.

Our mission is to end family homelessness by restoring hope and rebuilding lives. Founded in 1964, UMOM is located in Phoenix, Arizona and is an innovative provider of shelter, housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. Every night we provide safe shelter and supportive services for nearly 700 individuals experiencing homelessness – 155 families and 130 single women. We also offer over 550 units of affordable housing across the Valley.

Our mission is to improve lives by uniting the caring power of community. United Way of Central Iowa focuses on three counties in Iowa: Polk, Dallas, and Warren. Our funding, strategies, collaborations, and partnerships are almost exclusively based within that territory. We are an independent 501(c)3 organization based in Des Moines, Iowa, and regulated by our local Board of Directors. As a member of the United Way network, our organization is one of more than 1,000 local United Ways across the United States.

Since 1917, United Way of Central Iowa has united individuals, businesses, nonprofits, elected officials, and more to foster a thriving community through strategic focus on the 5 Elements of a Thriving Community:

• Essential Needs
• Early Childhood Success
• Education Success
• Economic Opportunity
• Health & Well-Being

The Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is a research center focused on “advancing knowledge of human development, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases.” The center offers opportunities for families to participate in research, as well as educational and clinical services for families.

Resources for families can be found here: https://www.waisman.wisc.edu/general-information/families/

The multidisciplinary Pediatric Rare Disease Center comprises interdisciplinary teams with expertise in neurology, genetics, cardiology, nephrology, endocrinology and more from across Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Our mission is to support all aspects of health care for newborns, children, adolescents and adults with rare diseases. Through this collaborative approach with specialized healthcare providers, our center works to improve care and expand treatment options. We combine our experience, discoveries and expertise to deliver timely and appropriate care to as many patients and families as possible.

Vision Forward provides a continuum of services, from birth through adulthood, to people with visual impairments, helping them achieve important developmental milestones as well as educational, personal and professional goals. Vision Forward staff are experts in the field of vision loss and host in-person and virtual community education presentations for groups of all ages and backgrounds. All of their programs and services are provided regardless of a person’s or family’s ability to pay.

Wellmore, Inc. is one of the largest behavioral health and substance use providers in western Connecticut, serving 43 towns in northwestern Connecticut. As a private, non-profit company, Wellmore operates with 260+ employees, 10 sites and serves approximately 10,000+ clients annually.

Our mission is to promote lifetime wellness through a continuum of essential and innovative treatment and support services for children, adolescents, adults, and families – giving them hope for better outcomes and to lead safe, healthy and productive lives.

Wellmore offers timely access to a wide array of behavioral health care services, contributing to better outcomes and a positive impact for the community.

The mission of the West Virginia WIC program is to improve the health of women, infants and children in West Virginia by providing quality nutrition and breastfeeding counseling and education; as well as health monitoring and nutritious foods.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a supplemental nutrition program for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, women who had a baby within the last six months, infants, and children under the age of five. The WIC program provides breastfeeding support, nutrition education, referrals to appropriate health agencies, and nutritious foods for eligible applicants. The WIC program is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. The WIC Program is administered by the State Department of Health through a grant provided by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

• Personalized nutrition counseling
• Breastfeeding counseling and support
• Healthy food
• Referrals to childcare and health insurance programs
• Medical and dental care referrals
• Health and social services resources
• Immunization screenings
• Tips on healthy eating

The Western Regional CYSHCN Center is dedicated to meeting families’ needs through a statewide coordinated system of information, referral and follow-up, parent to parent support, and service coordination through local public health departments and other community agencies.

We serve the following counties: Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Washburn.

We provide families with free and confidential services such as:

• Up-To-Date information and resources in the community, state and country
• Health benefits and insurance information
• Condition specific information and resources
• Finding healthcare providers
• Transition planning and resources
• Support from a staff with personal and professional experience in helping Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as the WIC Program, provides supplemental foods, health care referrals, nutrition education, and breastfeeding promotion and support to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.

ho is eligible?

• Pregnant women (through pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after birth or after pregnancy ends).
• Breastfeeding women (up to infant’s 1 ^st birthday).
• Non-breastfeeding postpartum women (up to 6 months after the birth of an infant or after pregnancy ends).
• Infants (up to 1^st birthday). WIC serves 45 percent of all infants born in the United States.
• Children up to their 5^th birthday (fathers, grandparents, foster parents or other guardians may apply for WIC for their children).

What are the benefits?

• Individual time to speak with a nutritionist or trained professional about your diet or your child’s diet.
• Breastfeeding support and information.
• Opportunity to meet and talk to other moms with young children.
• Referrals to health care and other social service programs.
• An eWIC card to buy healthy food for you or your children.

Our mission is to provide and broaden opportunities that enhance the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities and their families, with emphasis on support for underserved families in the community.

Resources are also offered in Spanish.

Wisconsin Family Ties (WFT) is the only statewide, parent-run organization in Wisconsin working with families that include children with social, emotional or behavioral challenges. We walk beside families to provide emotional support while helping to navigate the complex service and treatment systems with which they are involved .

WonderBaby.org is dedicated to helping parents of young children with visual impairments as well as children with multiple disabilities. Here you’ll find a database of articles written by parents who want to share with others what they’ve learned about playing with and teaching a blind child, as well as links to meaningful resources and ways to connect with other families.

Yachad, which means “togetherness”, is made up of individuals with developmental disabilities. The group meets several times a month for a variety of spiritual, social and creative events. Support for members and families extend beyond the social network. Yachad members are eligible for respite services (when grant dollars are available) and assistance with Medicaid/Medicare and social service related issues. The goal of our members, families, staff and volunteers is to engage in activities that will nourish a valued quality of life. We share a destiny and strive to help every Yachad member obtain personal and individualized goals.

Any member of the Jewish Community with a developmental disability is welcome to attend. At the current time we are taking members over the age of 21 into our adult group.

Youth Organizing! Disabled & Proud is a program of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC). YO! Disabled & Proud connects, organizes, and educates youth with disabilities.

Youth Organizing (YO!) develops community organizing activities to build a power base among youth with disabilities so that we can effectively work for change. We engage youth to learn about our history, the disability rights movement, disability pride, organizing, and advocacy. Youth with disabilities build community with each other, develop a sense of leadership, a positive disability identity, and organize and mobilize each other on issues that affect our lives.

We provide opportunities, resources, and information for young adults with disabilities. Disabled youth are able to volunteer with local independent living centers, work on advocacy issues and campaigns that are important to them, and find mentor within the disability community. YO! works with teens and young adults with disabilities ages 16 to 28.

Become a member of the YO Disabled & Proud Network: http://www.yodisabledproud.org/join-yo/