CHILDREN & FAMILIES

NAMI’s Child & Adolescent Action Center: Discussion Groups; Research, Services & Treatment; Federal & State Policy Legislation; Schools & Education; Juvenile Justice & Child Welfare; and Parents, Caregivers & Youth.

How to advocate for you child, 25 Tips for Parents

RosieD Reforming the Mental Health System in Massachusetts

Evidence-Based Mental Health Treatment for Children and Adolescents: the information on this website is offered as a completely free service to families and mental health professionals to help ensure that children and adolescents benefit from the most up-to-date information about mental health treatment.

Children’s Trust Fund leads efforts in Massachusetts to ensure that all parents of young children have access to community-based family support resources and the information about child development that they need.

The Pediatric IOCDF Committee is focused on the specific needs of OCD-affected children and youth, and their family members. The website provides information and to answer common questions asked by youth and their parents, treatment providers and teachers.

The ARCH National Respite Network includes the National Respite Locator, a service to help caregivers and professionals locate respite services in their community

Family Initiatives: Employment Options currently offers a continuum of three programs for parents with mental illness and their families. The Family Options Program reflects an integration of the strengths-based, recovery and empowerment-oriented principles and evidence-based practices, of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and wraparound in children’s systems of care. The program has a fundamental commitment to understanding and responding to recovery as a family experience and provides direct service, advocacy, and training. The Family Project provides support for building and maintaining family relationships for non-custodial parents, including supervised visitation. The Clubhouse Family Legal Support Project offers legal advice and representation for parents working toward increased contact with their children, and effective use of their custodial rights: as well as training for attorney’s statewide about the legal issues of parental mental illness.

Whether you have a question about a specific condition or are looking for general guidance, HealthyChildren.org is backed by 60,000 American Academy of Pediatrics member pediatricians

Disability Resource Guide from the Pediatric Family Resource Library at the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center

Fathers Network provides information and resources to assist all families and care providers raising children with special health care needs and developmental disabilities.

Transitional Age Youth at Parent Information Network (TAYatPIN) is a program that provides educational and support services for parents and caregivers of youth, ages 14 to 25 years. Services and outreach to parents are provided through the facilitation of focus groups, parent support groups, and one-on-one support

Mass. Housing & Shelter Alliance_Young_Adult_Resource_Guide_Final_2011

Parenting & Child Custody Issues Toolkit for People with Behavioral Health Problems - The UPenn Collaborative on Community Integration has developed a free tool kit for parents with serious mental illnesses. Research indicates that mothers with serious mental illnesses are almost three times more likely than mothers without such illnesses to have been involved in the child welfare system or to have lost custody of their children. The tool kit helps parents who have lost custody or are at risk of losing custody of their children, helps parents in recovery from mental illnesses with parenting issues, and offers guidance for professionals as well. The tool kit, “Helping Behavioral Health Clients with Parenting & Child Custody Issues.

Parenting Education and Support Programs (PESP) bring together parents in structured training programs to increase their skills, offer access to information, and to create support networks in communities. Programs address the needs of diverse groups, including grandparents, fathers, single parents, and parents with disabilities.

Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, programs and services

Dept. of Children and Families, Family Services

Dept. of Children and Families, Youth Services

The Parents’ How-To Guide to Children’s Mental Health Services in Massachusetts, The Boston Bar Association, with support from Children’s Hospital Boston, has developed the guide to Services in Massachusetts, which answers all of these questions and more. It takes you through the mental health system step by step, from deciding if your child needs care to getting specific services.

Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative under MassHealth

Think:Kids is a non-profit organization that trains adults in a new way of helping kids with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges:

Sociedad Latina, viene trabajando con los jóvenes latinos como una manera de contribuir al desarrollo de la nueva generación de líderes

Parent/Professional Advocacy League, (PAL) advocates for supports, treatments and policies that enable families to live in their communities in an environment of stability and respect.

National Federation for Families for Children’s Mental Health (FFCMH), a national family-run organization dedicated exclusively to helping children with mental health needs and their families achieve a better quality of life.

Families for Depression Awareness, helps families recognize and cope with depressive disorders to get people well and prevent suicides

The Council for Exceptional Children, the voice and vision of special education.

National Organizations and Information Groups are an invaluable source of information.

Experience Journal: Pediatric Depression

BPChildren is dedicated to erasing stigma and helping children with bipolar disorder.

The Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation raises and distributes funds for the most promising research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of early-onset bipolar disorder.

Reactive Attachment Disorder: http://www.radkid.org , http://www.attach.org/

Children with PTSD

Children and Adults with ADHD

Adolescent Bipolar Foundation

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

National Organization on Disability, it’s ability not disability that counts

National Center for Learning Disabilities

Where To Find Help For Your Child – from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Wrights Law The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy topics. Subscribers learn about new cases, articles, seminars and training, special offers on books by Pete & Pam Wright, and other useful information about special education law and advocacy.

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is an independent, nonprofit, §501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization of attorneys, advocates, parents and other professionals.  COPAA members work to protect special education rights and secure excellence in education on behalf of the 7.1 million children with disabilities in America.

Special Education Activism, working to secure the educational rights of all Massachusetts schoolchildren with disabilities.

Sibshop Collaborative of the Northeast
Primary Contact: Stefani Waterman
Beverly School for the Deaf
6 Echo Ave., Beverly, MA 01915
Phone: Stefani Waterman
http://www.beverlyschoolforthedeaf.org
Sibshop Description: The Sibshop Collaborative of the Northeast strives to offer an environment where Sibs can network with each other while creating relationships and bonds that will support these individuals throughout life.

Sibshop Collaborative of the North East
Primary Contact: Marguerite Roberts
NSMC Family Resource Center, North Shore Children’s Hospital
57 Highland Ave., Salem, MA 01907
Phone: 978-354-2660
http://www.nsmcfamilyresourcecenter.org
Sibshop Description: We are a collaborative of six agencies providing Sibshops monthly for 7-13 year olds for past 3 years and added Sibshops for 4-6 yr olds quarterly. We have just moved into a centrally located space leased exclusively for our Sibshops!

Lowell Area Sibshop
Primary Contact: Nadine Briggs
Social Smart Kids, Seven Hills, Lifelinks
Seven Hills 1270 Turnpike St., North Andover, MA 01845
Phone: 978-764-2758
http://www.socialsmartkids.com/main/Sibling_Support.php
Sibshop Description: Series of 4 Saturday Sibshops for 8-13 year old siblings.

Step One Sibshops
Step One Early Intervention/Regional Consultation Program
500 Victory Rd., Quincy, MA 02169
Primary Contact: Theresa M. Leth
Phone: 617-774-1046
http://www.siblingsupport.org/portal_memberdata/steponesibshops/view?searchterm=None

The Arc of Greater Plymouth Sibshops
10 Cordage Park Cir., Suite 208, Plymouth, MA 02360
Primary Contact: Malissa Kenney
Phone: 508-732-9292
http://www.thearcofgp.com
Sibshop Description: “Arc of Greater Plymouth Sibshops” will meet 4 times a year for siblings ages 8-12. It is a partnership between the Arc of Greater Plymouth and Plymouth Fitness. Thanks to the generosity of the Edwin Phillips Grant.

Sibshops of Greater Brockton
Brockton Area Arc
1250 West Chesnut St., Brockton, MA 02301
Primary Contact: Kathy Kerwin
Phone: (508) 583-8030
http://www.brocktonareaarc.org
Sibshop Description: “Sibshops of Greater Brockton” meets 4 times a year during school vacations. It is a collaboration of the Brockton Area Arc, Growthways, So. Bay Early Intervention and Old Colony YMCA.

Pediatric Development Center Sibshops
Pediatric Development Center
388 Columbus Avenue Ext., Pittsfield, MA 01201
Primary Contact: Diane Farella
Phone: 413-499-4537
http://www.pdc@berkshire.rr.com

Autism Resource Center of Central Massachusetts Sibshops
Autism Resource Center of Central Masschusetts a Program of HMEA, Inc.
71 Sterling St., West Boylston, MA 01583
Primary Contact: Sue Loring
Phone: 508-835-4278
http://www.arccm.org
Sibshop Description: Sibshops are held monthly during the school year with the exception of December and are held at rotating locations across our service area. Sibshops are for siblings aged 7-15 of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Kennedy Donovan Center’s Sibshop
Kennedy Donovan Center
32 Commercial St., South Yarmouth, MA 02664
Primary Contact: Laura Griswold
Phone: 508-385-6019 x 102
http://www.siblingsupport.org/portal_memberdata/kdcsibshop/view?searchterm=None
Sibshop Description: We hope to give siblings a chance for peer support through social recreation activities and events. We hope to meet once every other month for 4 hours.

Berkshire County Sibshops
United Cerebral Palsy
208 West St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Primary Contact: Deborah Sadowy
Phone: 1-413-442-1562 ext. 14
http://www.siblingsupport.org/portal_memberdata/dsadowyucp/view?searchterm=None
Sibshop Description: Berkshire County Sibshops are a quarterly activities group for brothers and sisters of children with special needs. This group provides peers support and education within a recreational context.The Sibshop model encourages discussion through games and activities that promote trust and freedom of expression in a fun supportive way.

MGHfC Sibshop
MassGeneral Hospital for Children
55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114
Primary Contact: Shellie Legere
Phone: 617-643-2166
http://www.siblingsupport.org/portal_memberdata/mghfc/view?searchterm=None
Sibshop Description: Our Sibshop if for siblings who have a brother or sister with medical concerns.

Resilient Siblings Group: For girls ages 12-16 who have siblings struggling with emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges. This group will provide a safe and supportive environment for siblings to connect, explore, and share their unique experiences together, such as witnessing sibling hospitalizations, changes in mood and behavior, and the destabilizing effect illness can have on the entire family. The group will emphasize building resilience through group discussion and activities, expressive art, cooperative projects, and psychoeducation.  The girls will build skills for healthy coping with techniques informed by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).  Periodic parent meetings will provide parents with information about the group’s progress, guidance and support, as well as a place for parents to give feedback, make suggestions, and offer input. Individual parent meetings can be arranged upon request.

The group will be led by Lizzy Green.  Lizzy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at the Brookline Community Mental Health Center, where she co-coordinates the Child and Adolescent Group Therapy Program. Lizzy works with individual children and families, provides parent guidance and psychoeducation, and leads groups for children.

The group will be held at the Brookline Community Mental Health Center Thursdays from 5:00 – 5:50 PM. When possible, the group will be billed through insurance. For those unable to use their insurance, a fee will be set on a sliding scale. For more info, or to make a referral, please contact: Lizzy Green, LCSW at (617) 734-3443 ext. 256 or green3321@gmail.com

Grandparents can get help from the Department of Elder Affairs which recently updated their Resource Guide for grandparents raising their grandchildren.

You can learn all about bullying and what you can do to stop it. Take a look around and you’ll find games and cartoon webisodes that help you Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop Bullying Now!

Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

Peer Abuse Know More

Boys and Girls Club of Boston, Youth Service Providers Network

YMCA of Greater Boston, family programs

FEDERAL GUIDE TO HELP PARENTS MAKE SAFE CHOICES WHEN CHOOSING A RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR THEIR CHILDREN – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released the first-ever federal consumer guide to assist parents in choosing a safe residential treatment program for their children. The guide was issued as part of FTC’s investigation into the deceptive marketing practices of some residential treatment programs, which was requested by Rep. George Miller (D-CA): http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro27.pdf

RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network): The nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. Click on the local organization’s name to get the contact info and website:

Gateway to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Information: The PTSD Information Center has Fact Sheets and Videos to answer your questions on trauma, PTSD and related issues. The National Center for Victims of Crime serves victims of any kind of crime, including those whose victimization results in PTSD. They have a Helpline, 1-800-FYI-CALL, and welcome your call.

Gift from Within, for Survivors of Trauma and Victimization

The Trauma Center is a program of Justice Resource Institute (JRI) , a large nonprofit organization dedicated to social justice by offering hope and promise of fulfillment to children, adults, and families who are at risk of not receiving effective services essential to their safety, progress, and/or survival.

Victims of Violence (VOV) Program of Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) 617-591-6360

MASSACHUSETTS: Domestic Violence Resources

Massachusetts Office Of Victim  Assistance Help Directory

In the Aftermath of Crime: A Guide to Victim Rights and Services in Massachusetts (Download PDF)

National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline

Violence Against People: Domestic Violence Resource Library Abuse can take many forms and can affect many different people, no matter their race, sex or socioeconomic status. Sadly, millions of people are repeatedly abused each year, and often, the victims remain hidden and live with the abuse in secret. Education and empowerment are essential to helping prevent domestic and other forms of abuse from occurring. There are many different types of abuse, including physical, non-physical emotional, verbal, and financial/economic abuse.