Berkeley Parents Network: Groups for Disabled Parents & Kids

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Groups for Disabled Parents & Kids

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Support Group for Spouse of Disabled Person
Earlier Recommendations
See also: Caregiver Support Groups
Support Group for Spouse of Disabled Person
April 2005
I am looking for a support group for spouses of disabled people. My spouse has degenerative back disease, and the medications he must take for pain management cause disabling cognitive side effects. We are young, and our lives are profoundly affected by this. I know it would be beneficial for me to join a support group, but I have not found one that fits our profile. Does anyone have any ideas? With gratitude, anon
I'm assuming you have kids since you are on this list
Try Circle of Care (Oakland/Piedmont)
Center for Attitudinal Healing (Sausalito)
Both have support groups for families/caretakers/kids where someone is ill. Center for Attitudinal Healing seems to have a broader mandate. I tried one of their groups (I have cancer, but other people and their spouses had varying illnesses) & it seemed helpful. My spouse attended the same group I did, and our child met with other children for a play/art therapy type group at the same time. I was too sick to go to the last meeting, but plan to attend again. I'm also going to try Circle of Care since it is local.
Both of these groups are free, if you qualify. anon

Earlier Recommendations

Berkeley Parents of Special Needs Kids
A group of parents of children with special educational needs (interpreted as inclusively as possible) in the Berkeley middle and high schools formed last year. For our first meeting this year, Clare Davies, Special Education Department Chair at BHS, will be present. We have also invited Joann Biondi, director of Special Education at the BUSD, and Sharon Pincus, BUSD Program Supervisor for middle schools and BHS, to speak to us. They'll talk about policies and programs and answer questions about whatever people's concerns are. This should be an informative and useful session for people whose children have IEPs or 504 designations, or who want to know more about the system.
Julia Epstein sandstep AT hotmail.com

Computer networking for disabled adult
I was wondering if anyone knows of a good chat line, e-mail list or website for my disabled adult sister. We just gave her a computer for her birthday with internet access. She is speech and mobility impaired due to an accident but can she type slowly and enjoys sending me e-mails. But I don't even know where to begin looking to help her find some interesting sites or e-mail pals.
Try http://www.gimpgirl.com, which comes out of Santa Cruz. Here is a list of featured discussion groups:
QueerLadies: For women with disabilities of all ages who are lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered.
Girlies: For young woman between the ages of about 15 and 25 and have a disability.
QueerGirlies: For young woman between the ages of about 15 and 25 and have a disability, and also are lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered.

BohemiGimps : For women between the ages of about 15 and 25 who have a disability, and are interested in art and/or art culture.

Sam
Go to onelist.com, which has over about 265,000 communities and email lists. My daughter has an anxiety around speaking, and I receive a daily digest of emails from parents, who share their joys and tribulations of the challenges that we face in trying to cope and survive with the silent cry for help. It has been a great support system and outlet to share with those who travel a similar path. Good luck to you and your sister.

Support Groups and other resources

Last time someone asked about support groups.  I wrote back about Through
the Looking Glass. I just received my newsletter and their address is:
        2198 Sixth Street, Suite 100
        Berkeley, CA 94710-2204
        (510) 848-1112
        email: TLG AT lookingglass.org
Subscription is free.

Note: They just announced their newest project on "Parents with
Disabilities and their Adolescent Children".  The Goals of the project: To
better understand and serve such families, to improve training of
professionals who may work with these families, and to influence policy
that can affect the daily lives of these families.

Other resources:
Children's Hospital, Oakland - Craniofacial children
        Children's main number is 428-3000 
Family Resource Network in Oakland, off Claremont Avenue
        547-7322 Berkeley 
full inclusion parents meet (monthly?) - check with Joann Biondi

Joann Biondi is the special education manager for Berkeley.  The
main office number is 644-7769. Center for Assessible Technology staff 
will often hook up parents withparents
        841-3224 (Note: Some students have staff from CAT as
consultants. They are located on 8th Street and Dwight Way. Their area
of speciality is technology....computers, printers, etc.) 

Oakland USD (879-8223 Exceptional Children's Program) has a parent
group which provides workshops for parents....I think our SELPA (I don't
knowwhat that means - I do know that it is several Districts such as
Berkeley, Albany, etc.) provides workshops too - again check with Joann
Biondi

Not sure about Center for Independent Living ( 841-4776) or Berkeley
Mental Health (644-6617)...

Doreen Sing

this page was last updated: Dec 27, 2008

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Groups for Disabled Parents & Kids

Support Group for Spouse of Disabled Person

Earlier Recommendations

Berkeley Parents of Special Needs Kids

Computer networking for disabled adult

Support Groups and other resources