Family Support Services

Provides emotional and informational support to families of children who have special needs. This site highlights state's organizations that have parent to parent support as a core program and are committed to implementing evidence-based practices.

Provided advocacy and expands opportunities and enhances the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families. PACER is staffed primarily by parents of children with disabilities and works in coalition with 18 disability organizations. A significant Learning Center, Resources, and specifically for Students and Young Adults.

A national program dedicated to the interests of brothers and sisters of people with special health and developmental needs.

Services Include:

• Books and publications
• Online communities for teen and adult siblings
• Workshops and training
• Sibshops

Promotes quality health care for all children and youth, particularly those with special health care needs. Working with family leaders and professional partners at the local, state, regional, and national levels since 1992, Family Voices (a family-led organization) has brought a respected family perspective to improving health care programs and policies and ensuring that health care systems include, listen to, and honor the voices of families. See Family-Centered Care Self-Assessment Tool at http://familyvoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/fcca_FamilyTool.pdf.

Family Voices does not provide financial aid and is not a direct service provider. Contact Family Voices in your state.

Works to ensure that input is obtained from all relevant stakeholder groups including older adults, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), family members, advocates, professionals and providers.

Services Include:

• Locator map to identify Developmental Disabilities statutes
• Presentations
• Policy Discussions
• Resources library: Guardianship and Alternatives, Education and Transition Planning

• Planning/Coordinating/Advisory Groups

Provides services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that children with disabilities are given full access to quality education, support, and resources.

Services Include:

• Early Intervention
• Early Childhood Education
• Make the First Five Count Childhood Development Screening Tool
• Nationwide Directory for Inclusive Child Care Programs
• Camping and Recreation Programs
• Family Support and Resources
• Transportation Assistance and Support
• Employment and Training
• Financial Capability and Homebuying

An on-campus center located in Michigan that provides a productivity-based program open to eligible families of current military personnel, veterans, and descendants of members of the VFW and its Auxiliary. Participating families can be one or both parents with children under age 18 in their custody. Services may include case management, housing, childcare and other support so they can productively work toward goals for a better future. Helpline staff will assist callers with eligibility questions and find additional resources if not eligible.COVID-19 Update: Following all CDC and state guidelines.

• Military Family Service/Support Centers

An online resource that supports families with seriously ill children through: Education, information, and tools, to address parent's psychological and emotional issues.
Provides community to connect families and minimize isolation and advocacy for pediatric palliative care.

Supports, comforts, informs, and guides families who experience a premature birth.

Services Include:

• NICU, transition home, and remembrance care package programs
• Trained preemie parent mentors available 24/7 via email, phone, and text
• MyPreemie, the market-leading app for parents of premature babies
• Online communities with tens of thousands engaged parents making new connections

Helps families before, during, and after a NICU stay and infant loss by providing powerful resources for the whole family, and most importantly, one-on-one mentoring from someone who has been there.

Services Include:

• Peer Support
• Online Community
• Resources (hospital, online, podcast)

Provides information for military families with special needs. Designed to share information with military families on Department of Defense efforts and civilian community programs to support families with special needs within the military community.

Provides for the health care needs of the military and Veteran communities.

Services Include:

• Doctor locator
• Pharmacy locator
• TriCare service center locator for each state