Community Resources for Families of Young Children with Disabilities - who can help with what you need
We have mentioned resources for families a couple of times already in this workshop. Here are a few services only available to families of people with disabilities.
Respite care – if your child has a developmental disability, you may qualify for respite care, basically care in your home or out of home. This can be for parents who are employed so they can work, but this will more likely be funded under some type of subsidized child care. More likely, respite care is funded to provide parents relief from the daily, on-going stress of child care. In North Dakota, for Developmental Disability Services of all types, contact Disability Services through your regional human service center office. You can find the contact information for the office in your area on this page at the North Dakota Human Services website. If you are not sure which office serves you, or you are not satisfied with the services you receive, you can contact the state office. Their contact information is below.
Disability Services Division
Phone: (701 328-8930 Address: Disability Services Division
North Dakota Department of Human Services
TTY: (701) 328-8968 Developmental Disabilities Suite 1A
Toll Free: 1-800-755-8529 600 South Second Street
(Disability Services Division) Bismarck, 58504-5729
Although we have given contact information for North Dakota only, please be aware that respite care is available in every state. The Disability Services division also provides Family Support Services, Infant Development and other programs to assist people with disabilities and their families.
Infant Development Program provides an Early Intervention staff member who will teach simple activities you and your child will enjoy, that you can do with your child while you are playing or completing day-to-day routines. The activities are chosen to help strengthen specific skills and learn
new skills that relate to IFSP Outcomes. The frequency of home visits by the Infant Development Program staff will depend on your child's needs. You may not have a grandmother, sister or other relative who has cared for a child with a disability like yours. So, the usual means of passing on parenting information from generation to generation is not enough to answer the questions you have about your child. ASK. Ask the Early Intervention Specialist any questions you have about your child.
Did you know that, with your permission, the Infant Development Program can also work with Head Start, grandmothers, day care providers and others who care for your child? This can be very helpful if you feel as if a staff member or relative just does not understand your child's special needs.
We have heard this many times, " __________ (person's name) just doesn't know how to deal with my child! If only someone could teach her about how to act when he __________ (whatever child does)."
Now you have that someone in the Infant Development Program. Use her.
More community resources