Special Education

Family Support and Advocacy Organizations

Statewide Family Support Organizations

WSPEI (Wisconsin Statewide Parent Educator Initiative)

WSPEI is all about partnerships. WSPEI helps families and school districts build positive working relationships that lead to shared decision making and children's learning. WSPEI Coordinators are parents of children with disabilities who work for CESAs (Cooperative Educational Service Agencies) through a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). They assist families with navigating special education and partnering with schools through technical assistance, trainings, and programs such as Parents in Partnership (PIP) and Youth in Partnerships (YiPPE) programs. WSPEI also works directly with schools through trainings, developing family engagement plans, and training district family engagement liaisons to improve family engagement efforts for families of students with IEPs. To find out the contact information for your WSPEI CESA Family Engagement Coordinator for your region you can go to the WSPEI Contacts webpage. 

 

WI FACETS (Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training, and Support)

WI FACETS is the federally funded Parent Training and Information Center for Wisconsin. Their mission is to provide and broaden opportunities that enhance the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities and their families, with emphasis on support for underserved families in the community. They provide information on special education and IEPs and referrals to agencies and resources, parent support groups, parent and youth leadership development, and trainings.
(877) 374-0511 or to the WI FACETS Contact webpage.
 

Disability Rights Wisconsin

Disability Rights Wisconsin is a private non-profit organization designated by the Governor to ensure the rights of all state citizens with disabilities through individual advocacy and system change. DRW is part of a national system of federally mandated protection and advocacy agencies for people with disabilities. DRW’s staff give information and referral, rights coaching, and in limited circumstances legal advocacy to people with disabilities and their families. Visit Disability Rights Wisconsin webpage or call Madison (608) 267-0214, Milwaukee (414) 773-4646. Toll free number: (800) 928-8778.
 

Wisconsin Wayfinder: Children's Resource Network

Wisconsin Wayfinder provides a statewide user-friendly website and toll-free number, 877-WiscWay (877-947-2929), to provide families with convenient, direct access to compassionate and knowledgeable children’s resource guides.

Video Links

Brochures

Additional Statewide Family Support Organizations

ALAS

ALAS is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the independence of families of children and youth with diverse abilities in Wisconsin by providing educational workshops, parent support groups, family events, community building activities, and service referrals. To contact Alianza Latina Aplicando Soluciones, view the ALAS website or email us at Alasinc@Alianzalatinawi.org.
 

Arc of Wisconsin

The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. It provides information and referral services, individual advocacy to address education, employment, health care and other concerns, self-advocacy initiatives, residential support, family support, employment programs, leisure and recreational programs.
The Arc is the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. We encompass all ages and more than 100 different diagnoses including autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and various other developmental disabilities. Find your chapter and statewide contacts by visiting the Arc of Wisconsin Contact website or call: 608.422.4250, or Email: info@arcwi.org
 

Autism Society of Wisconsin (ASW)

The Autism Society of Wisconsin is dedicated to improving the lives of all who are impacted by autism by providing information, resources, and support, while raising awareness and acceptance in the community. They do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the autism spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research, and advocacy.

Autism United of Wisconsin

Autism United of Wisconsin is the new, exciting evolution of the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin. Citing a desire to expand services to all of the state’s 72 counties, Autism United of Wisconsin exists to create better lives and brighter futures for all impacted by Autism — children, teens, adults, parents, families, educators and caregivers. Same outstanding services, with new and exciting services and supports. Persons interested from throughout Wisconsin (and beyond) are encouraged to reach out, sign up, start groups or area chapters and share!  Click to view Autism United of Wisconsin Statement of Purpose.
 

Children's Resource Centers

Wisconsin’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) supports five Children’s Resource Centers devoted to supporting families with children and youth (ages 0-2) with special health care needs and the providers who serve them. Find your regional center by going to the Children's Resource Centers website or contact your region by phone: Western (800) 400-3678, Southern (800) 532-3321, Northern (866) 640-4106, Northeast (877) 568-5205, Southeast (800) 234-5437
 

Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin

The Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin's mission is to provide support to Wisconsin families and individuals with Down syndrome and related disabilities through awareness, education, information, programs, services, and the exchange of ideas and experiences.

Family Voices of Wisconsin

Family Voices of Wisconsin is a statewide network of families who have children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities and those who work on their behalf. We support families by providing information, training and leadership opportunities so that families can be informed and effective partners in their child's care and in the systems that support them.  See contact information on Family Voices of Wisconsin website or call (608) 220-9598

Independent Living Centers

An independent living center (ILC) is a consumer-directed, non-profit organization that provides four core services: peer support, information and referral, independent living skills training, and person and systems advocacy. Supports persons with disabilities from birth to death.

Parent to Parent

Matches parents to other parents with similar needs.

833-361-6300 (Families) 715-361-6307 (Professionals). Email: P2PWI@chw.org

Special Olympics Wisconsin

Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports. It empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, leading to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst as well as programming around health and education, Special Olympics works to end inactivity, injustice and intolerance.

Waisman Center for Families

The Waisman Center mission is to advance knowledge of human development, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Well Badger Resource Center

The Well Badger Resource Center is a health information and referral program operated by the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation (WWHF) in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. They are an information and referral hotline that assists families who have children, age birth to 21, with special needs and their providers. They assist in finding needed programs and services; such as early intervention screenings, financial resources, advocacy, research, respite care, family support, and transition services.

Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities 

The mission of the Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (WI BPDD) is to unite ALL of Wisconsin in supporting our citizens with developmental disabilities to lead their most independent lives. BPDD has a Self Determination YouTube channel with hundreds of videos about people with disabilities making choices about their lives.

National Family Support Organizations

Organizations/Associations:

DPI Family Engagement Resources

Engaging with Families: Resources for Schools on to Support Family Engagement
 

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