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. 

CP Teens UK

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:

Sibling Support Groups

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:

Alabama Childcare Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Family Voices Alabama — Family Centered Care for Children with Special Needs

Alaska

Child Care Assistance Program

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:

Arizona Child Care 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:

Arkansas Disability Coalition

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:

Support For Families

Colorado

Childcare Search Resource:

Colorado Childcare Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Peak Parent

Connecticut

Childcare Search Resource:

Conn Child Daycare Licensing

Parent to Parent

Parent to Parent Organization:

PATH Parent to Parent Help for Children with Special Needs

Parents Supporting Parents

Delaware

Childcare Search Resource:

Childcare Referral Services

Parent to Parent Organization:

Delaware Family Voices Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs

District of Columbia

Childcare Search Resource:

DC Childcare Resource Center

Parent to Parent Organization:

DC Advocates for Education

Florida

Childcare Search Resource:

Florida Child Care Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Florida Family Network for Disabilities

Parent to Parent Miami

Georgia

Georgia Childcare Search Resource:

Georgia Childcare Search

Fragile Kids Foundation

Georgia Quality Childcare Search

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parent to Parent of Georgia: Supporting Families with Special Needs Children

Hawaii

Childcare Search Resource:

PATCH Hawaii

Parent to Parent Organization:

SPIN Hawaii Special Parent Information Network, Support for Families with Special Needs Children

Idaho

Childcare Search Resource:

Idaho Child Care Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Idaho Parents Unlimited

Illinois

Childcare Search Resources:

Illinois Daycare and Early Childhood Resource

Illinois Child Care Resource **This is not a state agency.

Parent to Parent Organization:

Family Support Network

Answers for Special Kids (a.s.k.)

Indiana

Childcare Search Resource:

Indiana Child Care Search

Parent to Parent Organization:

Family Voices

Iowa

Childcare Search Resource:

Iowa Department of Human Services Childcare Search

Center for Disabilities and Development

Parent to Parent Organization:

F.I.N.D.

Kansas

Childcare Search Resources:

Current Kansas Licensing for Childcare

Circle of Inclusion

Childcare Aware of NW Kansas Resources for Special Needs Children

Kansas Learning

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:

Maine Childcare Licensing

Maine Childcare Search

Childcare and Work Challenges for Special Needs Families

Parent to Parent Organization:

Maine Parent Federation

Maryland

Childcare Search Resource:

Maryland Childcare Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parents’ Place of Maryland

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:

Familiy Ties

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:

Minnesota Childcare Search

Parent to Parent Organization:

PACER Center

Mississippi

Article on early education for at risk children in the state

Childcare Search Resource:

Mississippi Childcare Search

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 Childcare Resource

Missouri Developmental Disability Resource Center

Parent to Parent Organization:

Sharing Our Strengths (S.O.S.)

Montana

Childcare Search Resources:

Montana Childcare Resource

Childcare Connections Gallatin, Park, Meagher Counties. This is a generic childcare search engine.

Childcare Solutions

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parent’s Let’s Unite for Kids

Nebraska

Childcare Search Resource:

Nebraska Childcare Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parent Training Nebraska

Nevada

Childcare Search Resource:

Nevada Childcare Search

Parent to Parent Organization:

Family Ties

New Hampshire

Childcare Search Resource:

New Hampshire Childcare Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parent Information Center

New Jersey

Childcare Search Resource:

NJ Childcare 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:

NY Childcare Resource

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parent to Parent

Parents Supporting Parents

North Carolina

Childcare Search Resources:

NC Childcare Resource

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:

Ohio Childcare Resource

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:

Oklahoma Childcare 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:

Oregon Child Care Research

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 :

Pennsylvania Daycare 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:

Tennessee Childcare 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:

Texas Childcare 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:

Utah Childcare 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 Childcare Resource

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:

Virginia Child Daycare Search

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://cerebralpalsysupportgroup.org/

Washington

Childcare Search Resource:

Washington Childcare 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

Collaborating Partners

Wyoming

Childcare SearchResource:

Wyoming Early Childhood Programs

Parent to Parent Organization:

Parent Information Center Statewide parent center for families of children with disabilities.