Families supporting a person with a developmental disability face unique and significant challenges. When a child has intensive care needs, families often find their resources stretched to the limit. Feelings of inadequacy, discouragement and isolation can make maintainging a positive home environment challenging. The Arc's Family Support program helps families cope with these challenges by offering:
SPOKANE COUNTY PARENT COALITION
The SCPC is a network of parents in Spokane County who have son or daughter with a developmental disability. By sharing information, families can learn about resources available in our community that can make their lives better. As a unified body, these families are also a powerful, non-partisan voice in the social and civic matters that affect them. Resources include:
A Network - More than 1,500 families participate in SCPC activities in Spokane County.
Advocacy & Family Support Newsletter - This monthly publication provides insight, news and a calendar of upcoming events. For information about how to subscribe, click here.
Workshops - Families need information about important topics like: what to include in a will, whether they should become their son or daughter's legal guardian or how they can prepare for this child's future through a financial trust. Regular workshops offered by the SCPC help educate families about these and other important decisions.
Family Support Conference - Held annually in March, this conference offers speakers and workshops on topics that matter to parents, guardians and families.
Leadership Development - The SCPC helps parents of develop the skills they need to be effective advocates for their children in the community.
Advocacy Days - Travel to Olympia with your son or daughter to meet our elected representatives during the legislative session.
Social activities for parents, guardians and familiy members
To be a part of the SCPC, contact Gregg Osborne at (509) 328-6326 or gosborne@arc-spokane.org.
FAMILY SUPPORT 360º
Some families have difficulty accessing resources in the community because of language barriers or because they live outside service areas. The Arc's Family Support 360º program helps Russian speaking families, Native American families, and families who live in rural Washington access programs that can lead to better employment, housing, healthcare and more. To learn more about Family Support 360º, contact Rosslyn Bethmann at (509) 328-6326 or rbethmann@arc-spokane.org.
PARENT TO PARENT
Parents supporting a child with a developmental disability face unique challenges. It helps to know someone who has faced those challenges and can help. Parent to Parent provides support and encouragement to parents through mentoring parents, support groups and sibling workshops.
Mentoring Parents - For new parents, the prospect of raising a child with a developmental disability can be overwhelming. The Arc's Parent to Parent program matches parents who have recently learned that their child has a developmental disability to experienced parents who can offer understanding, encouragement and advice.
Support Groups - Support groups give parents, guardians, siblings and other family members an opportunity to share their challenges and strengthen one another in an atmosphere of understanding and trust. Support groups include:
• Parent to Parent - open to any parent or guardian who has a child with special needs
• Parents for Life - for parents of an adult son or daugher with a developmental disability age 20 or older
• Sibling Workshops - workshops for siblings of children who have a developmental disability
• Spokane Father's Network - although not a program of The Arc of Spokane, the Spokane Father's Network is an important social resource fathers supporting a child with a developmental disability. Contact Gregg Osborne for more information at (509) 328-6326 or gosborne@arc-spokane.org.
FAMILY RESOURCE LIBRARY
The Arc's Family Resource Library has hundreds of books that can help answer some of the many questions facing parents, guardians and other family members. Visit us at 320 E. 2nd Ave. in Spokane and check out a book.
