Worrying about your child can be daunting and exhausting.
What is going on?
Is something wrong?
Is his behavior ok?
What are we going to do?
Who do you talk to?
What are the next steps?
There are so many questions.
I realized that many parents don’t know where to start or who to ask questions.
I’m working on compiling a list of resource centers for special needs families. I have included all 50 states. I also plan on including any resource centers from around the world.
Below is a list of 50 United States states in alphabetical order. For each one, I have included websites where you can find your local resource center or the name of the center and their website.
How can the resource center help?
There are two different types of resource centers that I have included for each state.
A Family Resource Center is an organization that helps families and individuals. They can provide information on family topics. They also organize events and classes for special needs families.
Many states also have Regional Centers. Regional centers have caseworkers that are responsible for your child. They can help with diagnoses and therapies (getting and paying for therapies). Most if not all handle early intervention (getting your child help early, before age 3). They can also help you get information on different services and events for your child.
Resource Centers by State
1. Alabama
Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers – ANFRC.com – A good website for Family Resource Centers
Olmstead Rights – olmsteadrights.com A list of government-funded organizations that may help.
Department of education – alsde.edu – Help with special needs services
2. Alaska
Alaska Department of Health and Human Services – dhss.alaska.gov
3. Arizona
http://www.familyresourceaz.org. – This website allows you to put in where you live and it gives you the local resource center.
Family Behavioral Integrated Health Services – http://www.myfamilybihs.org
http://www.raisingspecialkids.org – Great resources available on this page.
4. Arkansas
Arkansas Support Network – http://www.supports.org
https://www.frcnms.org – A resource center that offers different classes and services.
Arkansas Department of Human Services – humanservices.arkansas.gov
5. California
Northern California –
Warmline Family Resources – warmlinefrc.com
Alta Regional Center – altaregional.org – a great resource for early intervention. Very helpful with therapies and other opportunities for special needs.
Central California –
Central Valley Regional Center – cvrc.org
Southern California –
South Central Regional Center – sclarc.org
6. Colorado
Family Resource Center Association – http://www.cofamilycenters.org
Colorado Family Resources – colorado.gov – Government website with links to resources.
7. Connecticut
portal.ct.gov – Official government website with some links to resources in the state.
Department of Public Health – Government website link.
8. Delaware
dhss.delaware.gov – List of local organizations and resources for families.
9. Florida
Children’s Board Family Resource Centers – http://www.familysupporthc.org
Southeast Florida –
FAU Card – Center for Autism and Related Disabilities – fau.edu
South Florida
South Florida Resource Center – http://www.sfptic.org
Family Resource Center of South Florida – http://frcflorida.org/.
10. Georgia
Parent to Parent – p2pga.org
Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities – gcdd.org
11. Hawai
ParentingCenter.com – A list and links to many resources online as well as physical locations.
Child and Family Services – https://www.childandfamilyservice.org/
Special Needs Resource Project – snrproject.com
12. Idaho
Child and Family Resource – childandfamilyresource.com – Offer counseling and other resources for families.
Special Needs Resource Project – snrproject.com
Idaho Parent’s Unlimited Inc. – ipulidaho.com – Great list of resources.
13. Illinois
Family Resource Center on Disabilities – frcd.org – workshops, resources, IEP support.
dscc.uic.edu – A great website for lots of resources
Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse – eiclearinghouse.org
14. Indiana
Early Childhood Alliance – https://www.ecalliance.org
Insource Special Education Parent Support – http://insource.org
Indiana Resource Center for Autism – https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/irca – lots of support and resources for autism parents.
15. Iowa
ASK Resource Center – http://askresource.org – training, events and resources
– autism specific. –
Regional Autism Assistance Program – https://chsciowa.org/regional-autism-assistance-program.asp
The Iowa City Autism Community – http://autismiowacity.org/regional-resources
16. Kansas
Kansas Children’s Service League – https://www.kcsl.org/FamilyResourceCenter.aspx
childcarecenter.us – Some amazing resources and services based in Pittsburg.
https://childcarecenter.us/provider_detail/family_resource_center_inc_pittsburg_ks
Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training
http://kcart.ku.edu/families/family_support.shtml
17. Kentucky
The University of Louisville – a page dedicated to autism resources in the state and the country https://louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/families/advocacy
18. Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Health – http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/1564
The Families Helping Families Network – a list of the centers in the state
Autism Society – http://www.asgno.org
19. Maine
Access Main – http://www.accessmaine.org/living_parentres_ME.htm A list of links to many autism resources
20. Maryland
Maryland Family Resource, Inc http://www.mfrinconline.com/services.html
21. Massachusetts
Family Resource Centers https://www.frcma.org/content/services
Massachusetts Lifespan Respite Coalition –
https://www.massrespitecoalition.org/resources/by-resource/autism-support-centers/ – autism centers
https://www.massfamilyties.org
Vista Center for Behavior Analysis http://vistacba.com/regional-centers/
22. Michigan
Michigan State University – a list of resources for parents and caregivers
http://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org Resources to help with topics such as ABA and IEP’s
https://www.morcinc.org/ Great list of resources for Physical and intellectual disabilities
23. Minnesota
Minnesota Centers of Excellence for Young Children with Disabilities https://mncoe.org/
24. Mississippi
Family Resource Centers – https://www.frcnms.org/services – all kinds of resources, support groups and classes for families
South Mississippi Regional Center – http://www.smrc.state.ms.us/
25. Missouri
Family Forward – amilyforwardmo.org
Missouri Family to Family – mofamilytofamily.org
Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training –
http://kcart.ku.edu/families/moregionalcenters.shtml – they have a great list of regional centers throughout the state.
26. Montana
montana.gov – a list of agencies that can help
-specifically for autism – dphhs.mt.gov
Montana Disability and Health Program – http://mtdh.ruralinstitute.umt.edu
27. Nebraska
-Family Resource Center of Greater Nebraska –
www.family-resources.net – looks like a really great list of different resources and agencies that are helpful to a family.
28. Nevada
Department of Health and Human Services –
Autism related – http://adsd.nv.gov
United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra – uwayreno.communityos.org
29. New Hampshire
New Hampshire Children’s Trust
www.nhchildrenstrust.org/ – It’s a general resource center to help with many different family issues but it has many links to all different resources.
Lakes Region Community Services – www.lrcs.org
Regional Services and Education Center – https://rsec.org
CHAD – Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock – www.chadkids.org
ParentingNH – www.parentingnh.com
Manodnock Developmental Services – www.mds-nh.org
Path Ways – www.pathwaysnh.org – very long list of resources in the state
30. New Jersey
Family Resource Network – www.familyresourcenetwork.org
www.tcnj.edu – grants for young adults
31. New Mexico
New Mexico Kids – https://www.newmexicokids.org
UNM Center for Development and Disability – http://www.cdd.unm.edu
New Mexico Autism Society –http://nmautismsociety.org
32. New York
Zero To Three – https://www.zerotothree.org
Family Resource Center Network – PDF brochure –
https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/publications/Pub5070.pdf
NYMetro Parents – https://www.nymetroparents.com
Vibrant – https://www.vibrant.org
University at Albany –
https://www.albany.edu/autism/nysrcasd.php – list of regional centers in New York
Parent to Parent of NYS – http://parenttoparentnys.org
33. North Carolina
Jackson Country Family Resource Center –
http://jacksoncountyfrc.org/resources/ – great list and links to other resources and organizations
North Carolina DCDEE –
https://www.ncchildcare.nc.gov – a page that has many great links to resources for special needs failies.
TEACCH Autism Program – https://teacch.com
34. North Dakota
South Dakota Parent Connection – http://www.sdparent.org
Parents Helping Parents – http://my.php.com/
North Dakota Autism Center – http://www.ndautismcenter.org
35. Ohio
Family Resource Center of Northern Ohio – http://frcohio.com/
http://www.childhoodleague.org
Help Network – http://www.helpnetworkneo.org/services/special-needstdd/
36. Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Department of Education –
37. Oregon
Family Resource Center of Central Oregon – http://frconline.org/
Prevention Lane – https://preventionlane.
Fact Oregon – http://factoregon.org/
Central Valley Regional Center – https://www.cvrc.org
38. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Health – Special Kids Network –
Olmstead Rights – https://www.olmsteadrights.org
Allegheny County – Autism related resources – http://www.alleghenycounty.us
Highlands Hospital Autism Center – http://www.highlandshospital.org
39. Rhode Island
The Providence Center – https://providencecenter.org – links to other centers that can help
Rhode Island Family Guide – https://www.rifamilyguide.com/
Rhode Island Department of Education – http://www.ride.ri.gov
40. South Carolina
Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs – http://frcdsn.org
South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs – http://www.ddsn.sc.gov
41. South Dakota
South Dakota Parent Connection – http://www.sdparent.org
Youth and Family Services – http://www.youthandfamilyservices.org/
42. Tennessee
Kid Central TN – https://www.kidcentraltn.com
Special Kids Therapy and Nursing Center –
43. Texas
Texas Health and Human Services – https://www.dshs.texas.gov
Texas Parent to Parent – https://www.txp2p.org
44. Utah
Utah Parent Center – http://www.utahparentcenter.org
Family Support and Treatment Center – http://www.utahvalleyfamilysupport.org
Utah Department of Human Services – https://dspd.utah.gov/
Utah After School Network – https://utahafterschool.org
45. Vermont
Vermont Agency of Human Services – http://humanservices.vermont.gov
Special Needs Support Center –http://snsc-uv.org
46. Virginia
Department of Education – http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/parents/index.shtml
DisAbility Navigator – https://disabilitynavigator.org/
West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council – https://ddc.wv.gov/resources/pages/forchildrenwithdevelopmentaldisabilities.aspx
47. Washington
Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Foundation – https://cshcn.org
Family Works – https://www.familyworksseattle.org/family-center
Washington State Department of Health –https://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Autism/ServiceProviders
DO-IT – https://www.washington.edu/
48. West Virginia
West Virginia Parent Training and Information – http://www.wvpti-inc.org/family2family/
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources –
http://www.wvdhhr.org/bcf/children_adult/sfc/
49. Wisconsin
Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley – https://frcscv.org/resources/
Wisconsin Department of Health Services – https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov
50. Wyoming
Parent Information Center – http://www.wpic.org/services-resources
Wyoming Instructional Network – http://wyominginstructionalnetwork.com/
Child Development Services of Wyoming – http://www.cdswy.org/index.php
I hope this list is helpful to you if you’re just starting out on this special needs journey or if you’re looking for some extra help.
If you haven’t already done so check out my post on Autism traits and signs. You can also see the non-typical signs and traits on this post.
You can also sign up with your email and get this list in PDF form. By signing up you will also receive emails when I publish new blog posts or have something new for you.
Be blessed Mama!
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