Debriefing and Resources

Raising a child with a communication disability is a challenging, exhausting and rewarding role. Finding the right communication method, working with the caring and knowledgeable professionals, and getting the training needed to help your child communicate their needs and wants is sometimes a frustrating and depressing endeavor. Professionals can intimidate parents and caregivers, by implying they know what is best for the child, because of their background. Yet therapies and services, which may help a child communicate better in the classroom or at school, may not work at home. In researching the differences in communication needs of children and adolescents in family and community settings, compared to those in a school or institutional setting, this study hopes to raise awareness among professionals of the need to have parents and caregivers involved in choosing, training and using communication, for children with language disabilities to be successful communicators.

Many times parents and caregivers feel alone and isolated in their fight for services and equipment to help their children. Oftentimes they feel overwhelmed with the responsibility, unknowledgeable about where to turn for information, laws, and help in advocating these services. Your child's pediatrician, therapists, and teachers may have lists of local resources to connect to for support. To learn about advocacy, laws, and find support contact the groups below:

In the Tri-Valley Area:

Tri-Valley SELPA CAC (Community Advisory Committee)
Support & information.
Carole-Lynn Glass carole-g@comcast.net (925) 294-5875

Tri-Valley Parents Support Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/trivalleyspecial/

In Alameda County:

Family Resource Network of Alameda County
Providing resources & support to families of children
with special needs.
(510) 547-7322 www.frnoakland.org/

Developmental Disabilities Planning and Advisory Council
Alameda County Public Health Department
1000 Broadway, Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94607
Sandi Soliday - Coordinator
Phone: (510) 267-3261 http://www.acphd.org/user/services/AtoZ_PrgDtls.asp?PrgId=32

The Arc- Alameda County
2700A Merced St
San Leandro, CA 94577-5644
(510) 357-4014 http://www.arcalameda.org/index.html
Chapter Email: ronluter@arcalameda.org

In Northern California or Bay Area

Disability Rights California - Bay Area Regional
1330 Broadway, Suite 500
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 267-1200 http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/

Family Resource Centers Network of California
Debbie Sarmento
c/o Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
2601 Mission Street, Suite #606
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone: 415/282-7494 Email: dsarmento@supportforfamilies.org
Website: http://www.frcnca.org/index.html

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
3075 Adeline Street, Suite 210
Berkeley, CA 94703

510.644.2555 V/TTY info@dredf.org http://www.dredf.org

Parents Helping Parents
Sobrato Center For Nonprofits-San Jose
1400 Parkmoor Avenue Suite 100
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone number (408) 727-5775 http://www.php.com/

Outside of California

The Arc
The largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Has links to local chapters.
Website: http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2335

AACFUNDINGHELP.COM.
This website posts information about programs that cover and provide funding for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.
http://www.aacfundinghelp.com/

This California site below has a section of links for support groups in several states.
http://www.dredf.org/links.shtml

There are many online parent and caregiver support groups through Yahoo's Disability Resource page
http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/disabilities

Home and Community Communication Survey