Family Resources:

• Family-Professional Partnerships

• Asian American Recovery Services, Inc (Stay Safe) 
  www.aars-inc.org
  AARS is community based nonprofit that provides services to more than 2,700 clients in the communities of San Francisco, San Mateo, And Santa Clara Counties.
• Youth and Family Enrichment Services
  www.yfes.org
  YFES provides individual case management, emergency shelter for youth, 24hr crisis hotline and provides outreach counselors.
• Daly City Youth Health Center
  www.dalycityyouth.org
  Daly City Youth health center offer no/low cost services such as birth control, sexually transmitted infection testing, immunizations, and medical appointments.
• Pyramid Counseling & Education                  650.355.8787 or 650.342.5155
  No website listed.
  Pyramid offers: adolescent services, anger management, socialization skills, and alternatives to fights children’s services, play therapy for preschool and school aged children
  parenting skills learn, build strengthen and practice positive parenting skills
• On Your Mind
  www.onyourmind.net
  On your mind offers crisis hotline, parent support line, alcohol and drug line with live and anonymous chat with teen counselors.

National Resources

• Attention Deficit Disorder Association
  www.add.org
  ADDA offers services to adolescents with ADD and also too adults with ADD.  They can help keep you post on the latest breaking news with weekly blogs and newsletters.
• National Mental Health Association
  www.nmha.org
  NMHA offers public education and support for Americans with mental health conditions.
• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  www.aacap.org
   At AACAP they offer resources for families, lists of physicians and allied professionals, and member information.
• Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
  www.bpkids.org
  CABF offer a learning center, newsletters, and support groups.
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyper Activity
  www.chadd.org
  CHADD offers resources for child and adults with ADD.  There’s also resources for teachers and professionals. 

Mental Retardation:

Mental Retardation is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.  Mental Retardation is also known as Intellectual Disability or Developmental Delay.

Websites that refer to Mental Retardation:

1. http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry?id=31050 – This link talks about what mental retardation is, the cause, education received, prevention and history.
2. http://www.geocities.com/behalabodhayan/Mental_Retardation.htm - This website was developed for an organization in India.  Although some of the links are not active, there was good information regarding Mental Retardation.  It talks about what mental retardation is, what the causes are, how it is diagnosed, how common it is, what are the signs and how children can be educated with mental retardation.  There are tips for teachers and parents included.
3. http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/birth_defect/mental_retardation.html - This website starts of defining the term and denouncing it because it is not politically correct.  In supports the term “intellectual disability” or “developmental delay” as this does not hurt any feelings.  This site also discusses the possible causes.
4. http://www.cardinalmccloskeyservices.org/what_is_mrdd.shtml - This website talks about the different levels of mental retardation (mild, moderate, severe, and profound).  It also discusses the causes before birth, during birth, and during the childhood years.
5. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000215/1059.html - This website has posted an article written by medical doctors.  They identify and evaluate what mental retardation by discussing what this disability is and breaks down the different levels.  They also discuss the causes and provide an illustrative case.  Lots of info in this article.

Websites for resources where parents get info:

1. http://www.partnerstx.org/Resources/Mental_Retardation/FactSheet_NICHCY.htm
2. http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=4682&cn=208#parents
3. http://www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/pa2.pdf

Websites for programs available in North California:

1. Department of Developmental Services - http://www.dds.ca.gov/EarlyStart/Home.cfm
2. The Arc of California - http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=223&srcid=428&chid=61
3. California Association for the Retarded (CAR) - http://www.carforchoice.org/about.htm

Websites for early intervention programs:

1. Norfolk Community Service Board: Mental Retardation and Family Development - http://www.norfolkcsb.org/mental_retardation.htm - Norfolk CSB Mental Retardation Services focus on the needs of children and adults with mental retardation. 
2. Madhuram Narayanan Centre for Exceptional Children - http://mncindia.org/index.html - MNC is to provide early intervention services to children with developmental delays/ mental retardation.
3. Ellisville State School: A Mississippi Department of Mental Health Facility - http://www.ess.state.ms.us/eip.html - This school provides services for infants and toddlers ages birth to three years who have, or who are at risk for, developmental disabilities.  They are located in Mississippi.
4. Wayne County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities: MRDD Ida Sue School - http://www.wcbmrdd.org/education.asp - This school provides early intervention services for children, birth to age two, with disabilities and developmental delays in Wayne County, which is located in Ohio.

Multiple Disabilities:

Multiple disabilities is when a person has a combination of two or more serious disabilities (cognitive, physical and/or sensory), such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy.

Websites that refer to Multiple Disabilities:

1. http://specialed.about.com/od/multipledisabilities/a/multiple.htm - This link discusses the characteristics and background of multiple disabilities and offers strategies.
2. http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs/MCSSped/multiple.htm - This link discusses the educational implications, the characteristics, and the medical implications about multiple disabilities.
3. http://faculty.frostburg.edu/mbradley/EC/severeandmultipledisabilities.html - This link is a research paper by Megan N. Howard.  The topic of this research paper is severe and multiple disabilities in and out of the classroom.  She discusses what this is, what the characteristics are, classroom issues, some stats, and possible treatments.
4. http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/infant/page5.htm - This link compares how people should handle multiple disabilities to a how a submarine operates.  This provides a good illustration on how to treat a person with multiple disabilities.
5. http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/sheets/smd.htm - This link discusses the definition, the characteristics, the medical implications, and the educational implications of multiple disabilities.
6. http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/SevereandorMultipleDisabilities.aspx - This link defines what multiple disability is and also talks about the characteristics and implications.

Websites for resources where parents get info:

1. Texas Parent to Parent - http://www.txp2p.org/contact.htm - contact list where other parents have children with multiple disabilities.
2. Parent to Parent of Georgia - http://www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do?partner=networkforgood&npoId=134736 – Support group for parents with children who have disabilities
3. Child Development Media - http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com/assessment-planning/70155c.html - a site where you can purchase media helping you asses a child with multiple disabilities.

Websites for programs available in North California:

1. Parent-Child Advocacy Network for families of children with disabilities (ParentsCAN) - http://www.parentscan.org/index.html
2. SF State University - http://www.sfsu.edu/~bulletin/current/programs/credpro.htm - It looks like SFSU has a program for special needs.

Websites for early intervention programs:

1. Parent Information Center - http://www.parentinformationcenter.org/sped/earlyintervention/index.html
2. Perkins School for the Blind - http://www.perkins.org/clearinghouse/edmultdis/emerging.html - This school provides early intervention not only for the blind but also for those who have multiple disabilities.
3. Pattison’s Academy (South Carlolina) - http://www.pattisonsacademy.org/index.html - This school offers a comprehensive education and rehabilitation programs for children with multiple disabilities.  It may not be an early intervention program but I believe it is worthy to mention.
4. Concordia Learning Center at St Joseph’s School for the Blind (New Jersey) - http://www.sjsnj.org/graphicsite/STUDENT_PROGRAMS/early_intervention.htm - A school where children with multiple disabilities can get an education.
5. The Professional Center for Child Development (Massachusetts) - http://www.theprofessionalcenter.org/programs.htm - This school has a Developmental Day School for children with multiple disabilities.  They also have an intervention program but they do not state that it is geared towards children with multiple disabilities.  The day school program is worth mentioning and they may be able to offer services for intervention.

Visual Impairment:

Visual Impairment is a term used to describe the complete or partial loss of vision.  A person could be born with a visual impairment or it could happen any time.

Websites that refer to Visual Impairment:

1. http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/preschool.htm - this link is geared to early childhood educators who have a child with visual impairment in their classroom.  It is not a comprehensive but a guide to help understand what visual impairment is, how it affects early development, and why early intervention is necessary.
2. http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/visual_impairment.html - this link tells us what visual impairment is and some of the conditions of visual impairment.  It lists some of the conditions that cause visual impairment after birth.  The site also discusses what a doctor would do if they suspect a visual impairment.
3. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/ - this link provides a fact sheet from the World Health Organization (WHO) about visual impairment and blindness.
4. http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=5844 – this link, brought to us by the Council for Exceptional Children, provides information on how a person with blindness or visual impairment can learn to adapt with this condition.  It specifies the different methods a person can use to adapt to this condition.
5. http://www.ci.maryville.tn.us/mhs/MCSSped/visual.htm - this link, provided by the Special Education Department of Maryville City Schools, defines what visual impairment is and how it can affect the education of a child.
6. http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Specific/Pages/VisualImpairment.aspx - this link, provided by the National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities, defines what visual impairment is and how it can affect the education of a child.
7. http://www.cuyamaca.net/eops/DSPS/hdbkvi.asp - this site informs us about how students adapt to their visual impairments.
8. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/vision.html#sect0 – this link brings you to a site that gives strategies on how to teach to students with visual impairment.
9. http://www.brighttots.com/Developmental_disorders/Children-Visual-Impairment.html - this link discusses visual impairments of children.  It begins by talking about the importance of having a child getting his or her eyes examined at an early age.  Then it talks about signs and symptoms of vision impairment and the different types of impairments.
10. http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/visual-impairment - this link, supported by Healthline, provides a large amount of information about visual impairment.  It provides a definition, a description, causes and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and other info.

Websites for resources where parents get info:

1. American Foundation for the Blind - http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=42 – This site promotes independent and healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with relevant and timely resources.
2. The Hadley School for the Blind - http://www.hadley.edu/1_a_AboutHadley.asp - This site offers courses free of charge to its blind and visually impaired students and their families.
3. National Organization of Parents of Blind Children - http://www.nfb.org/nfb/About_NOPBC.asp?SnID=2049678545 – This site is a national membership organization of parents and friends of blind children reaching out to each other to give vital support, encouragement, and information.
4. BVI-Parents - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BVI-Parents/ - This is a Yahoo forum where parents of blind or visually impaired children can discuss topics related to raising their children, dealing with concerns about the educational system, public attitudes about blindness, etc.
5. National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) - http://www.spedex.com/napvi/ - this website is a national, non-profit organization that finds resources for parents with children who have a visual impairment.
6. Joint Action Committee of Organizations Of and For the Visually Impaired - http://www.jacforvi.org/jac_are.htm - this website is a non-profit coalition of blind adults, parents, professionals, agencies, and providers of aids and technology working together to improve the lives of blind and visually impaired persons.

Websites for programs available in North California:

1. http://blindbabies.typepad.com/ - Blind Babies Foundation is a foundation in Oakland, CA that assists families with a home-based program for blind children.  The purpose of this foundation is to provide support for families so the child may be raised in their own homes.  This provides a better success rate of success in life for the child.
2. http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/care/childrens-eyecare.cfm - The Children's EyeCare Program encourages parents who think their child has a vision or eye problem to have their child's eyes examined by their pediatrician, family physician or, if necessary, by an ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.).
3. http://www.capvi.org/index.html - The California Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (CAPVI) promotes and provides information to parents of children with visual impairments, through workshops, email and publications. Anne Ward (Co-Chair), Ukiah, CA 95482 Home Phone: 707-463-2296 OR Mary Beth Phillips (NAPVI Region 6 Representative) Walnut Creek, CA Home: 925-945-6450

Websites for early intervention programs:

1. Perkins School for the Blind -  http://www.perkins.org/community/edpartnerships/earlyintervention.html - Perkins provides early intervention services for children from birth to age three, as well as support for their families.
2. Lighthouse International - http://www.lighthouse.org/education-services/the-lighthouse-child-development-center/  - An Early Intervention program for children with impaired vision licensed by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
3. http://www.blindchildrensfund.org/index.asp - The Blind Children’s Fund seeks to increase global awareness regarding the need for early and continuing intervention services, and to provide children, parents and professionals with information and resources for promoting the independence and dignity of children with disabilities.