Stella Johnson
Active Member
I was going through old emails I had saved from when difficult child was in Kindergarten and 1st grade and she was kicked out of every day care in the area. I searched high and low sent emails to every program I could find. Called every local college, high school... you name it. I decided to compile a list of services that I found.
I also found that I am extremely frustrated about something else. I found so many federally funded "advocates" for children with disabilties. They advocate but do nothing else. Why can't we put this "advocacy" dollars into actual programs? Do we really need all these federally funded groups who do nothing but talk aka "advocate"?
so here is my list...
Achievement Center of Texas
http://achievementcenteroftexas.org/
The Achievement Center of Texas is a licensed non-profit day care and day habilitation center for children and adults with special needs. Every effort is made to offer families their choices in services and to support those choices wherever possible. In providing a wide range of services in the least restrictive environment, students at the Achievement Center can grow and develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially working toward greater independance and more satisfying way of life.
This one actually looks helpful.
The FFCMH, a national family-run organization serves to:
Provide advocacy at the national level for the rights of children and youth with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges and their families
Provide leadership and technical assistance to a nation-wide network of family run organizations
Collaborate with family run and other child serving organizations to transform mental health care in America
I contacted these people. Never figured out quite what they do. Apparently they had no real programs but use federal money to advocate. They do want donations however.
http://www.bazelon.org
Another federally funded program that advocates and takes federal money but has no real services. The site mentioned above that also has no real services.
http://www.cbsnews.com
I contacted them years ago about doing a story for awareness purposes about our difficult childs.
I received one response that they would look into it. I never heard from them again.
Texas Infant and Toddler Intervention Program
This one is only for infants and toddlers and ultimately refer you to your school district.
http://www.bazelon.org
Advocates on the National level. No services provided.
http://www.arcdallas.org
I spoke with several of their directors. They said they had never thought much about the need for special needs day care. They said they mostly deal with Adults with disabilities
I contacted all of my local college psychology departments. I was hoping I could find a psychiatric student that might be interested in caring for difficult child after school. I never received a response from any of them.
Texas Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/
I received a response that simply said she was referring me to State Rehab Services.
No response from them.
NAMI Texas
http://www.namitexas.org/
More advocacy but never found a real program that actually helps mentally ill children.
Therapeutic Day School
http://frcmo.org/therapeuticpreschool.htm
They are not in my area but this may be helpful for others.
Texas MHMR
Useless if you have insurance but may have programs for others. No day care options at all. I talked to multiple divisions within MHMR.
Child Care Group
http://www.childcaregroup.org/
No real solutions for special needs but this does have a long list of child care providers
Center for Parent Information and Resources
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/
They referred me to The Parent Training and Information Center
Someone along the way sent a list of California State Resources. I am in Texas so they dont work for me. I know others on the board are in that area so I thought I would list them.
Parents Helping Parents -- San Francisco
594 Monterey Boulevard San Francisco, CA 94127-2416
(415) 841-8820
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
2601 Mission Street, Suite 606 San Francisco, CA 94110-3111
(415) 282-7494
United Advocates for Children of California
1401 El Camino Avenue, Suite 340 Sacramento, CA 95815-2700
(916) 643-1530
I also found that I am extremely frustrated about something else. I found so many federally funded "advocates" for children with disabilties. They advocate but do nothing else. Why can't we put this "advocacy" dollars into actual programs? Do we really need all these federally funded groups who do nothing but talk aka "advocate"?
so here is my list...
Achievement Center of Texas
http://achievementcenteroftexas.org/
The Achievement Center of Texas is a licensed non-profit day care and day habilitation center for children and adults with special needs. Every effort is made to offer families their choices in services and to support those choices wherever possible. In providing a wide range of services in the least restrictive environment, students at the Achievement Center can grow and develop physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially working toward greater independance and more satisfying way of life.
This one actually looks helpful.
The FFCMH, a national family-run organization serves to:
Provide advocacy at the national level for the rights of children and youth with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges and their families
Provide leadership and technical assistance to a nation-wide network of family run organizations
Collaborate with family run and other child serving organizations to transform mental health care in America
I contacted these people. Never figured out quite what they do. Apparently they had no real programs but use federal money to advocate. They do want donations however.
http://www.bazelon.org
Another federally funded program that advocates and takes federal money but has no real services. The site mentioned above that also has no real services.
http://www.cbsnews.com
I contacted them years ago about doing a story for awareness purposes about our difficult childs.
I received one response that they would look into it. I never heard from them again.
Texas Infant and Toddler Intervention Program
This one is only for infants and toddlers and ultimately refer you to your school district.
http://www.bazelon.org
Advocates on the National level. No services provided.
http://www.arcdallas.org
I spoke with several of their directors. They said they had never thought much about the need for special needs day care. They said they mostly deal with Adults with disabilities
I contacted all of my local college psychology departments. I was hoping I could find a psychiatric student that might be interested in caring for difficult child after school. I never received a response from any of them.
Texas Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/
I received a response that simply said she was referring me to State Rehab Services.
No response from them.
NAMI Texas
http://www.namitexas.org/
More advocacy but never found a real program that actually helps mentally ill children.
Therapeutic Day School
http://frcmo.org/therapeuticpreschool.htm
They are not in my area but this may be helpful for others.
Texas MHMR
Useless if you have insurance but may have programs for others. No day care options at all. I talked to multiple divisions within MHMR.
Child Care Group
http://www.childcaregroup.org/
No real solutions for special needs but this does have a long list of child care providers
Center for Parent Information and Resources
http://www.parentcenterhub.org/
They referred me to The Parent Training and Information Center
Someone along the way sent a list of California State Resources. I am in Texas so they dont work for me. I know others on the board are in that area so I thought I would list them.
Parents Helping Parents -- San Francisco
594 Monterey Boulevard San Francisco, CA 94127-2416
(415) 841-8820
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
2601 Mission Street, Suite 606 San Francisco, CA 94110-3111
(415) 282-7494
United Advocates for Children of California
1401 El Camino Avenue, Suite 340 Sacramento, CA 95815-2700
(916) 643-1530