California Parent Organizations
List of California agencies providing resources for families of children with disabilities.Parent Organizations and the California Department of Education
The California Department of Education (CDE), Special Education Division, works closely with federal- and-state-funded parent organizations to increase parent participation and collaboration between parents and educators to improve the educational system.
Parent Training and Information Center
California Community Parent Resource Centers
Senate Bill 511, Family Empowerment Centers
Parent Training and Information Center
Background
Each Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) is a parent-directed non-profit 501(c)(3) organization funded by the U.S. Department of Education, authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and often enhanced by private sources. Every state in the United States has a funded PTIC.
IDEA states that PTICs will provide parents of children, ages birth through twenty-six with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited English-proficient children, and parents with disabilities, with the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children with disabilities to:
- meet developmental and functional goals, and the challenging academic achievement goals that have been established for all children;
- be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible; and
- provide training and information on parent rights, responsibilities, and protections under IDEA in order to develop the skills necessary to cooperatively and effectively participate in planning and decision-making relating to early intervention, educational, and transitional services.
Core Programs
These core programs and services are offered by each of the California PTICs:
- Workshops which cover:
- Disability awareness programs
- Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs)
- Parent and student rights and responsibilities under IDEA
- Parent mentor training
- Transition to public school
- Transition from school to adult life
- Surrogate Parent Appointment and Responsibilities
- Parent-to-Parent Support
- Assistance and Advocacy for educational issues and other services (e.g., Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Respite)
- Support Groups
- Information and Referral
- Resource Library and Information Packets on a variety of topics including different types of disabilities
Collectively, the PTIC's newsletters reach 55,000 readers in California, and over 60,000 parents and professionals contact the PTICs annually.
PTIC Contact Information
Organization | Phone | Address | |
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Exceptional Parents Unlimited
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559-229-2000 559-229-2956 (Fax) |
4440 North First Street, Fresno, CA 93726 |
info@epuchildren.org |
Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF)
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510-644-2555 (TDD Available) 510-841-8645 (Fax) 800-348-4232 |
3075 Adeline Street, Suite 210, Berkeley, CA 94703 |
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Matrix
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415-884-3535 415-884-3555 (Fax) 800-578-2592 |
94 Galli Drive, Suite C Novato, CA 94949 |
info@matrixparents.org |
Parents Helping Parents of Santa Clara
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408-727-5775 825-727-5775 (toll free) 408-286-1116 (Fax) |
1400 Parkmoor Avenue, Suite 100 San Jose, CA 95126 |
info@php.com |
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
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415-282-7494 415-282-1226 (Fax) |
1663 Mission Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94103 |
jduenas@supportforfamilies.org info@supportforfamilies.org |
Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK)
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714-533-8275 714-533-2533 (Fax) |
3040 Saturn Street, #3 Brea, CA 92821 |
California Community Parent Resource Centers
Background
The Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), as described in 20 United States Code 1472, will help ensure that underserved parents of children, ages birth through twenty-six with disabilities, including low income parents, parents of limited English-proficient children, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information the parents need to enable the parents to participate effectively in helping their children with disabilities.
Each CPRC shall:
- provide training and information that meets the training and information needs of parents of children with disabilities,
- carry out the activities required of PTICs, and
- be designed to meet the specific needs of families who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support.
CPRC Contact Information
Organization | Contact Person | Contact Information | About |
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Chinese Parents Association for the Disabled
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Vanda Yung | Address: Phone: Email: |
Serving Los Angeles and Orange Counties |
Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF)
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Susan Henderson | Address: Phone: Email:
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Serving west side communities of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties |
Parents Child Advocacy Network (CAN)
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Marlena Garcia | Address: Phone: Email: |
Serving Napa County |
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
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Juno Duenas | Address: Phone: |
Serving San Francisco County, but all familes are welcomed |
Senate Bill 511, Family Empowerment Centers
Background
SB 511, enacted as Education Code 56400-56414 , established the Family Empowerment Centers (FECs). The FECs provide services to families with children with disabilities ages three to twenty-two. The intent of the legislature is to ensure that parents, guardians, and families of children and young adults with disabilities have access to accurate information, specialized training, and peer-to-peer support. Each FEC is a non-profit 501 (c)(3). Funding for the FECs is based upon a specific formula. A rate of $150,000.00 is allocated annually to each center to provide the basic services. Additional funding for each FEC is determined according to school enrollment of the region served.
As a condition of funding each FEC shall do all of the following:
- provide training and information that meets the needs of the parents and guardians of children and young adults with disabilities;
- work with community based organizations;
- provide training and support to parents and guardians of children and young adults with disabilities;
- participate in decision-making processes and the development of individualized education programs;
- promote positive parent and professional collaboration with local education agencies, special education local plan areas, and other community agencies; and
- participate and support surrogate parent training.
FEC Contact and Service Information
Organization | Counties Served | Contact Information | About |
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Exceptional Family Resource Center (EFRC)
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Imperial, San Diego | Address: Phone: 619-594-7416 |
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Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU)
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Fresno, Kings | Address: Phone: 559-229-2000 |
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Family Focus Resource and Empowerment Center
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North Los Angeles (San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley) |
Address: Phone: 818-677-6854 |
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Family SOUP
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Colusa, Sutter, Yuba |
Address: Phone: 530-751-1925 |
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H.E.A.R.T.S. Connection Family Resource Center and Empowerment Center
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Kern | Address: Phone: 661-328-9055 |
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Matrix Parent Network & Resource Center
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Napa, Solano, Sonoma | Address: Phone: |
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Parents Helping Parents, Inc.
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Santa Clara | Address: Phone: |
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The Parents’ Place Family Resource Center
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Los Angeles (San Gabriel Valley, Pomona) | Address: Phone: 626-919-1091 |
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Plumas Rural Services, Inc.
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Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Sierra | Address: Phone: |
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Rowell Family Empowerment of Northern California (RFENC)
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Butte, Glenn, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity | Address: Phone: |
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Special Parents Information Network (SPIN)
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San Benito, Santa Cruz | Address: Phone: 831-722-2800 |
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Support for Families of Children with Disabilities
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San Francisco | Address: Phone: 415-282-7494 |
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Team of Advocates for Special Kids, Inc. (TASK)
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Orange | Address: Phone: 714-533-8275 |
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Westside Family Resource Center
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West Los Angeles | Address: Phone: 310-258-4063 |
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Other State Resources
California Hands & Voices
California Hands & Voices is dedicated to supporting families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing in a respectful and non-judgmental manner regarding language opportunities, communication tools or educational approaches. This is a parent-driven non-profit organization providing families with the resources, networks, and information to improve communication access and educational outcomes for their children; outreach activities, parent/professional collaboration; and advocacy efforts focused on enabling children who are deaf or hard of hearing to reach their highest potential.
Department of Developmental Services: Early Start Family Resource Centers
Families of infants and toddlers, birth to thirty-six months at risk of or with developmental delays and disabilities, can receive parent-to-parent support from Early Start Family Resource Centers and Networks.
Parent Links
"Hope, Dream, Achieve!"
Parent Links empowers parents of deaf or hard of hearing infants and toddlers by providing them with comprehensive information and awareness through mentoring, networking, and resources, and by honoring the family’s relationship with their child and their choices in language and communication opportunities. This program is for families with children identified as deaf or hard of hearing ages birth to 3 years old. Parent Links parent mentors have children who are deaf or hard of hearing. We are here to support, provide information on education and communication opportunities as well as connections to other families. Parent Links is a program of the CDE funded by a federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau grant.
Seeds of Partnership
Seeds of Partnership provides assistance on behalf of the California Department of Education, Special Education Division to support the direction, initiatives, and activities that are a part of the State Performance Plan (SPP) related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) indicators. We aim to create or provide avenues and tools to increase improvement of partnerships and provide professional learning resources that will assist local educational agencies seeking to improve their family engagement practices and educational outcomes.