The Catalyst Center: An incredible website dedicated to supporting healthcare coverage for children with special medical needs. They have a fantastic family resource page with state by state listings of Parent to Parent organizations and more organizations dedicated to helping families navigate local resources.
United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) has changed their mission to address the issues facing all people with special needs, not just cerebral palsy. They have a fantastic search engine which will allow you to locate all kinds of resources by state and local vicinity. If I find there are organizations missing I will add them to this page.
Wrightslaw Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities
Mom2Mom-the online helpline in the US focused on mother’s of special needs children. It is staffed by mother’s of other special needs children 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Here is an article about Mom2Mom which is based in New Jersey, and in addition to offering emotional support to callers all over the US, also offers comprehensive information about resources in the state of New Jersey.
211 United National Information and Referral Search
Agencies providing support/emergency funds to special needs families by state & country:
Jack’s Helping Hand-California
Helping From Heaven-Illinois
Children With Special Needs Fund-Michigan
The Cerebral Palsy Outreach Network-Michigan
Share A Smile-Michigan
Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission-New Jersey *medical expenses only
Alleghany County Ministerium-North Carolina
Ten Doves-Texas
Angelgirl Foundation-West Virginia
Mumsnet: London, England
Internet support groups and facebook pages:
Adults with CP and parents are coming together!
There is a new space on Facebook where adults with CP and parents may come together and share ideas, learn from one another, and build a sense of community. I thought some of you may like to check it out. And remember this is a social group where experiences are shared for educational purposes only. Always check with your medical professional and therapeutic team about yours or your child’s specific needs.
New!! A new App called “Candor CP“offers an anonymous way to communicate and share experiences with people who have CP.
TeenCP-a facebook page and blog from a teen based in the US who has CP
Charisse Living with Cerebral Palsy-a facebook page hosted by a young adult woman with CP-fabulous!!
Cerebral Palsy Awareness hosted by Sophie-Share your stories, pictures, and experiences.
Cerebral Palsy United Together-an open facebook discussion group
Cerebral Palsy Families-a closed facebook support group
Cerebral Palsy Mommas-a closed facebook support group for moms
Cerebral Palsy Network-a Yahoo group consisting of parents and individual throughout the globe affected by CP.
Mommies of Miracles (MOM)-“The mission of Mommies of Miracles is to eliminate the isolation mothers of exceptional needs children experience on a daily basis by providing an extended network of resources, products & services, grief support, family matching, and hope.”
KidPower-A Yahoo support and information group for families of children mildly affected by CP.
Pumpsters-A Yahoo information and support group for people (and their loved ones) considering using intrathecal pumps.
Special Needs Moms-A social network for moms and families of special needs children to connect and share information (categorized by diagnosis)
For Siblings:
ForeverSibs-organization dedicated to supporting siblings with rare diseases or disorders
For Dads:
Dadvocates-a page just for dad advocates of special needs children
Fathers of Special Needs Children-Facebook group for dads
Parent to Parent Organizations
Below is a list of state by state (in the US) individual childcare search engines and information, as well as any known parent to parent organizations we have been able to find. Parent to parent organizations can be a wonderful resource for all types of information including daycare facilities and pre-schools that may best suit your child:
Alabama
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Family Voices Alabama — Family Centered Care for Children with Special Needs
Alaska
Child Care Search Resource:
Child Care Resource and Referral Services — Anchorage, Wasilla, Juneau, Fairbanks
Parent to Parent Organization:
Stone Soup Group — Assistance to families of children with special needs.
Arizona
Child Care Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Raising Special Kids — Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tuscon
Arkansas
Childcare Search Resources:
Northwest Arkansas Child Care Referral Site
Arkansas Division of Childcare and Early Education
Parent to Parent Organization:
California
Childcare Search Resource:
California Making Access Possible — My congratulations to CA for their commitment to inclusion and the special needs community. This website is an outstanding resource.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Colorado
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Connecticut
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
PATH Parent to Parent Help for Children with Special Needs
Delaware
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Delaware Family Voices Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs
District of Columbia
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Florida
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Florida Family Network for Disabilities
Georgia
Georgia Childcare Search Resource:
Georgia Quality Childcare Search
Parent to Parent Organization:
Parent to Parent of Georgia: Supporting Families with Special Needs Children
Hawaii
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
SPIN Hawaii Special Parent Information Network, Support for Families with Special Needs Children
Idaho
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Illinois
Childcare Search Resources:
Illinois Daycare and Early Childhood Resource
Illinois Child Care Resource **This is not a state agency.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Answers for Special Kids (a.s.k.)
Indiana
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Iowa
Childcare Search Resource:
Iowa Department of Human Services Childcare Search
Center for Disabilities and Development
Parent to Parent Organization:
Kansas
Childcare Search Resources:
Current Kansas Licensing for Childcare
Childcare Aware of NW Kansas Resources for Special Needs Children
Parent to Parent Organization:
Families Together Assisting Kansas’s Parents of Children with Disabilities
Kentucky
Childcare Search Resource:
Division of Regulated Childcare
Cincinnati Children’s: Resources and database for special needs childcare.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network
Louisiana
Childcare Search Resources:
Department of Children and Family Services
Childcare Resources : Southwest, Louisiana
Parent to Parent Organization:
Families Helping Families Support for special needs families
Maine
Childcare Search Resources:
Childcare and Work Challenges for Special Needs Families
Parent to Parent Organization:
Maryland
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
A Pastor’s Place–“Teach parents the importance of taking care of themselves emotionally, physically, nurturing relationships with significant others and being knowledgable advocates for their children.”
Massachusetts
Childcare Search Resource:
Mass Department of Early Education and Childcare
Parent to Parent Organization:
Michigan
Childcare Search Resource:
Great Start for Kids :state sponsored resource site, care facilities organized by county, search can include “CP” experience but no guarantee of accuracy here. All providers in this list are licensed by the state.
Parent to Parent Resource:
Michigan Alliance for Families
Minnesota
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Mississippi
Article on early education for at risk children in the state
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Project Facess One-stop family support center linking families of children with developmental disabilities with their community
Missouri
Childcare Search Resources:
Missouri Developmental Disability Resource Center
Parent to Parent Organization:
Sharing Our Strengths (S.O.S.)
Montana
Childcare Search Resources:
Childcare Connections Gallatin, Park, Meagher Counties. This is a generic childcare search engine.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Nebraska
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Nevada
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
New Hampshire
Childcare Search Resource:
New Hampshire Childcare Resource
Parent to Parent Organization:
New Jersey
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
SPAN Statewide Parents Advocacy Network
New Mexico
Childcare SearchResource:
New Mexico Child Care Resources
Parent to Parent Organization:
Parent’s Reaching Out New Mexico resources for building a better family
New York
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
North Carolina
Childcare Search Resources:
Children’s Resource Center Resource on inclusion
Parent to Parent Organization:
Exceptional Child Assistance Center:a private non-profit organization that is operated by and staffed primarily with parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs
North Dakota
Childcare Search Resource:
North Dakota Childcare Resource This is a state site.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Family Voices of North Dakota aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities.
Ohio
Childcare Resource Organization:
Cincinnati Children’s Special Needs Childcare Directory: Resources and database of facilities.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities.
Oklahoma
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Resource Organization:
Oklahoma Family Network informs and connects individuals with special health care needs and disabilities, their families and professionals to services and supports in their communities.
Oregon
Childcare Search Resources:
OCCYSHN Oregon Center for Children and Youths with Special Health Needs works with communities to more effectively meet the needs of children and their families.
Parent to Parent Organization:
Unknown
Pennsylvania
Childcare Search Resource :
Parent to Parent Organization:
PEAL Center The Mission of the PEAL Center is to ensure that children, youth, and adults with disabilities and special health care needs lead rich, active lives and participate as full members of their schools and communities by providing training, information, and technical assistance based on best practices to individuals, families and all people who support them.
Rhode Island
Childcare Search Resource:
Rhode Island Childcare Resource
Parent to Parent Organization:
Rhode Island Parent Information Network
South Carolina
Childcare Search Resource:
South Carolina Childcare Resource
ABC Special Needs Program Columbia
Parent to Parent Organization:
Family Connections provides you with information, support and hope for the future.
South Dakota
Childcare Search Resource:
South Dakota Childcare Resource
Parent to Parent Organization:
South Dakota Parent Connection connects families caring for children (birth to 26) with the full range of disabilities or special health care needs to information, training and resources in an environment of support, hope and respect.
Tennessee
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent or Similar Organization:
Tennessee Disability Coalition An alliance of organizations and individuals who have joined to promote the full and equal participation of men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life.
Texas
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Texas Parent to Parent is committed to improving the lives of Texas children who have disabilities, chronic illness, and/or special health care needs.
Utah
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Program:
Utah Parent Center works to help parents help their children, youth and young adults with all disabilities to live included, productive lives as members of the community.
Vermont
Childcare Search Resources:
Vermont School Readiness for Children with Special Needs
Grants for Special Education in Vermont
Parent to Parent Organization:
Vermont Family Network promotes better health, education, and well-being for children and families, with a focus on children and young adults with special needs.
Virginia
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
Parent to Parent Virginia believes in the innate strength of most families. Therefore, we have a philosophy that our services should affirm parents’ strengths and enable parents to obtain for themselves the services and supports their families need.
Northern Virginia CP support group-parent run: http://
Washington
Childcare Search Resource:
Parent to Parent Organization:
PAVE a non-profit organization, exists to share information and resources with people whose lives are linked to children and adults with disabilities.
West Virginia
Childcare Search Resource:
West Virginia Early Childcare and Education Directory
Parent to Parent Organization:
WVPTI Works to empower parents of children and youth with disabilities in their roles as parents, decision makers, and advocates for their children and to promote partnerships among parents and professionals.
Wisconsin
Childcare Search Resource:
Wisconsin Child Care Directory
Parent to Parent Organization:
WI FACETS-Milwaukee
Parent 2 Parent-statewide
Wyoming
Childcare SearchResource:
Wyoming Early Childhood Programs
Parent to Parent Organization:
Parent Information Center Statewide parent center for families of children with disabilities.
12 comments
Abhijeet says:
May 11, 2014
Michele,
Myself Abhijeet from India and I came across to your site while searching some stuff for my 7 year old spastic son.
You have done great job in putting together all information at one place. This is really really helpful site for all parents who just realize their child has CP and may be looking for right resources to move forward.
I would like to suggest one website that you may want to add in this resource section. I found it very very informative and helpful for parents like us.
http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/global/david/dwe002/dwe00211.html#part1chap9
Thanks,
Abhijeet
Aziz says:
Jan 21, 2015
Aziz from Afghanistan, I came across your site and find it very useful and informative. I have only one question and since three weeks looking forward to get a proper answer. To my understanding, as you are the top people in our world, I have to ask you. What do you think about STEM CELL treatment?
Actually, I have a daughter who is now 6 year and almost three months old. When she was 30 months of old, I took her to India. In India she was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy (CP) but not severe. As my bloody country, Indian Doctors could not do anything for her treatment too. Now, I have found a hospital in China that they want to treat her through stem cell therapy. I provided them with a video of her movements and also her brine’s MRI that Indian Doctors had made in India.
The cost of this treatment is far too much, $25’000.00 only for her treatment and no other expenditures which will easily go up to more than $30’000.00. I myself working with the Voice of Women organization receiving $300.00 per month. With such income, I will never be able to provide such a big amount of money for my nice and adorable daughter treatment. But, I have a small house, in which five of us living in, and I have to, I repeat, I have to sale it…. Because as a father, I cannot see her, moving from here to there like a frog…… If I do so, which is going to be a direct plying with the future of my other kids, do you think that I will get a good and suitable result out of it?
Thanks
Aziz says:
Jan 21, 2015
Aziz from Afghanistan, I came across your site and find it very useful and informative. I have only one question and since three weeks looking forward to get a proper answer. To my understanding, as you are the top people in our world, I have to ask you. What do you think about STEM CELL treatment?
Actually, I have a daughter who is now 6 year and almost three months old. When she was 30 months of old, I took her to India. In India she was diagnosed as having cerebral palsy (CP) but not severe. As my country, Indian Doctors could not do anything for her treatment too. Now, I have found a hospital in China that they want to treat her through stem cell therapy. I provided them with a video of her movements and also her brine’s MRI that Indian Doctors had made in India.
The cost of this treatment is far too much, $25’000.00 only for her treatment and no other expenditures which will easily go up to more than $30’000.00. I myself working with the Voice of Women organization receiving $300.00 per month. With such income, I will never be able to provide such a big amount of money for my nice and adorable daughter treatment. But, I have a small house, in which five of us living in, and I have to, I repeat, I have to sale it…. Because as a father, I cannot see her, moving from here to there like a frog…… If I do so, which is going to be a direct plying with the future of my other kids, do you think that I will get a good and suitable result out of it?
Thanks
cp daily living says:
Jan 26, 2015
Hi Aziz. I have a section offering information about the current state of research on stem cells for cerebral palsy. There are lots of helpful links. Stem cell treatment is experimental at this point. There are a few clinical trials that are taking place and have been done on the CP population and research continues. http://cpdailyliving.com/types-of-therapy/#Stem_Cell_Applications
All the best,
Michele
Ashish says:
Apr 27, 2016
Hi Abhijit, could you tell me if you know any educational institutes or resources which these students can opt for. You can drop me an email at namby147@gmail.com
lisa says:
May 2, 2016
Can anyone tell me of support groups in Milwaukee area for adults w/CP? I have someone looking and she and I can only find online groups
cp daily living says:
May 5, 2016
Hi Lisa. This is a tough one. It’s even tough for parents to find local, in person support groups. This doesn’t mean someone can’t start one! If that isn’t an option you may wish to contact the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison to see what resources they may now about: https://www.waisman.wisc.edu
-Michele
cp daily living says:
May 5, 2016
I just found this on their website: “Waisman Resource Center | Call 1.800.532.3321
The Waisman Resource Center provides information and assistance to callers and visitors to the Waisman Center on a wide range of topics including health benefits, partnerships with schools and doctors, community supports and services and recreation.”
cp daily living says:
May 5, 2016
I just found this on their website: “Waisman Resource Center | Call 1.800.532.3321
The Waisman Resource Center provides information and assistance to callers and visitors to the Waisman Center on a wide range of topics including health benefits, partnerships with schools and doctors, community supports and services and recreation.”
Adaobi says:
Apr 25, 2017
Please is they any support group in Nigeria. I need one,children living with CP has no support.
chandrakant daki says:
Jun 28, 2018
Please is they any support group in india .
gujrat (rajkot)m-9328634144—chandrakant
Kalunga joe says:
May 4, 2019
My 6 year old son has cerebral palsy problem and epileptic. Your advise