Parenting Resources

  • Caregiver Alerts

    Learn what to do in a variety of situations to help your child. Topics include Aspiration, Life-Sustaining Equipment, Reporting Abuse and Neglect, Identity Theft, Dehydration, and When to Call 911. 

  • Caregiving After Diagnosis

    A guide for new family caregivers of children with disabilities and complex medical needs. Created by Whitney Stohr for UW Lend. 

  • Create a Life Plan for your Child

  • Informing Families

    Up to date information about issues, services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Features blogs by parents, an extensive video library, news bulletins, and social media information sharing. 

  • Keeping Vital Documents Organized

  • Kinship Relatives as Parents Support Group

    Relatives as Parents Support Group a Kinship Support Group in Grays Harbor County. Address: Washington Elementary School Gymnasium 3003 Cherry Street, Hoquiam, WA Website: https://www.o3a.org. Contact Info: Eric Nessa, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., phone: 360-538-2458 or 866-582-1485    

  • National Resources for Parents of Children and Youth with Disabilities

  • Parent to Parent of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties

    Parent to Parent of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties provides parent support, education, and peer mentoring for parents of a loved one with a disability or special healthcare needs. This is a program of The Arc of Grays Harbor. Phone: 360-537-7000  

  • South Sound Parent to Parent - Early Support for Infants and Toddlers

    South Sound Parent to Parent is the Providing Agency for Early Support for Infants and Toddlers in Grays Harbor County. They offer a variety of professional services tailored to the individual needs of your family, including Family Resources Coordination and Direct Services for children, ages Birth to Three. If you have concerns about your child's development and they are age 0-3, contact SSP2P today at 360.637.8586.         

  • The Arc of The United States Resources for Parents

  • Washington Autism Alliance Resource Directory

  • Washington State Father's Network

    A Powerful Voice for Fathers and Families of Children with a Disability or Special Health Care Need

  • Washington State Parent Coalitions

    Parents of children with an intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) need to connect with other parents for support and resources. Throughout Washington State, you will find Parent Coalitions that have parents and guardians who have walked the walk and who help parents organize their voices and be heard on issues important to them.
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Parenting Support

Parent to Parent (P2P) offers support, information, and education for parents of a child with a disability or special healthcare needs. P2P offers monthly parent support groups, a yearly series of educational workshops, and Helping Parent Matches where parents can be matched with a trained Helping Parent who can give them support and help them feel less alone. 

 

Respite Care Services

Respite care involves short-term or temporary care of people with special needs for a few hours or weeks, designed to provide some relief to the regular caregiver. While many parents and other caregivers find joy and meaning in caring for children with special needs, the physical and emotional consequences for the caregiver can be overwhelming without some support. It may be harder to find child care for children with disabilities and special needs. Many families will need to find respite care. Check out this guide from Informing Families called Pathways to Respite for more information on ways to access respite care.

 

  • Carina Care

    An online platform to help state-funded home care clients fin Individual Providers.

  • Community Living Connections: Olympic Area Agency on Aging (O3A)

    Serves older adults, persons with disabilities, and their families. 2700 Simpson Avenue, Suite 205 Aberdeen, WA 98520 Phone: 360.532.0520 Toll-free: 1.800.801.0060

  • Consumer Direct WA

    Find an Individual Provider to provide in-home care. tel:8662149899

  • Home and Community Services Office, Aberdeen

    Serves persons applying for, or receiving, public assistance to pay for long-term services and supports. 415 West Wishkah Street Suite A2 Aberdeen, WA 98520 Phone: 360.533.9222 Toll Free: 1.800.487.-0119 TTY: 360.533.9730 Fax: 360.533.9782  

  • How to Become an Independent Care Provider (IP)

    Learn what the requirements are to become an IP in Washington State. 

  • Lifespan Respite WA

    Lifespan Respite Washington offers grants of up to $1000 for respite care for unpaid caregivers who support a family member, friend, or neighbor who has a special need or condition.

  • List of Respite Care Providers

    Find respite care providers based on criteria you enter. 

  • Olympic Area Agency on Aging (O3A) Family Caregiver Support

    O3A offesr a number of services to unpaid family caregivers, age 18 and older, living in Grays Harbor, and Pacific Counties.  Family Caregiver Resource Coordinators   Grays Harbor CountyEric This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Pacific CountyBob This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Overnight Planned Respite

    Learn more about Overnight Planned Respite, a DDA service. 

  • Respite Care Information Spreadsheet

    Spreadsheet from Lifespan Respite WA with many different avenues for finding respite care. 

  • Understanding Respite Care

    A guide to respite care by The Arc of King County. 
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 Guardianship and Supported Decision Making 

Guardianship is a legal process through which an individual or business is given the legal authority by the court to make decisions for another person. Many people think that guardianship is the best way to help adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities make important decisions. The truth is, guardianship is often not necessary. In fact, Washington state’s guardianship law requires considering alternatives first.

 

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Finances 

There are two main types of accounts in Washington State that specifically benefit people with disabilities, ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Accounts and DDETF (Developmental Disability Endowment Trust Fund) Accounts. These accounts enable people with disabilities to save for their future without compromising their current benefits such as Social Security, food stamps, and Medicare. 

A Washington State ABLE Savings Plan allows people with eligible disabilities to save for their everyday needs, invest in a tax-free account and prepare for the future without losing their state or federal benefits. Washington State ABLE Savings Plans are easy to open and simple to manage. Individuals can make direct contributions and can also make payroll contributions through the ABLE to Work program. Friends and family members can also easily contribute to ABLE accounts.

The DD Endowment Trust Fund allows individuals with developmental disabilities, or their families, to set aside funds for future use without affecting their eligibility for government services and benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid. Funds can be withdrawn from the trust and used for many services not covered by other benefits, including recreation, therapy, clothing, and transportation. The DD Endowment Trust Fund is an easy and effective way to prepare for the future (and life’s unexpected expenses) without risking financial eligibility for needed benefits and services.

 

  • ABLE Accounts

    A Washington State ABLE Savings Plan allows people with eligible disabilities to save for their everyday needs, invest in a tax-free account and prepare for the future without losing their state or federal benefits.

  • Benefit U

    Benefit planning service for people age 14 or over who are clients of the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) or who have a direct referral from a Washington Department of Services for the Blind (DSB) counselor. 

  • CCAP Representative Payee Service

    The Coastal Community Action Program provides representative payee services. 

  • Develpomental Disabilities Endowment Trust Fund

    Preserve eligibility for government benefits and services. Be confident in the security of a government-run and conservatively invested fund. Provide money for life-enriching activities and services not covered by benefits.  

  • Financial Exploitation

  • How to Become a Representative Payee

  • Maximizing Financial Resources Presentation

    Check out The Arc of Grays Harbor's Maximizing Financial Resources presentation to learn more about ABLE and DD Endowment Trust Fund accounts. 

  • The Arc of Washington Trust Fund

    The Arc of Washington Trust Fund provides student stipends, research grants, and supports training of professionals who deal with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. 
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