Parent-Child Advocacy Network is a local parent-to-parent 501(c)(3) resource center which serves families of children with disabilities in Napa County through hope, support and information. Our Mission:  To empower families of children with disabilities to become successful advocates for their unique needs.

Our Services:

Family Advocates ...
            ensure that families with children who have disabilities receive the emotional support, information,
resources and communication skills needed to become lifelong advocates for their child.  An appointment is always best so we can set up time to chat with you about your immediate and long terms needs.  Call us at 707.253.7444 and we will connect you with a family advocate who best matches your family’s needs.

Mental Health Family Partners ...
            ensure that families of children with an emotional disturbance are fully involved in decisions about programs and treatments for their child.

Early Start Community Liaisons ...
            provide information to parents about the various agencies that provide early intervention services that help newborns and infants who are born with or at risk of developing a disability, reach their full potential and give the motional support parents need as they adjust to their child’s diagnosis.   More

Collaborative Partnerships ...
            with schools and other service agencies, offering the parent voice relating to policies, systems and programs that affect children with special needs.

Parent-to-Parent Matches ...
            link parents one-to-one with other parents who have had similar life experiences.

Support Groups ...
            establish a peer support forum for families and caregivers.  Groups for parents of children with Autism, behavior issues such as ADD/ADHD and bipolar, grandparents raising their special needs grandchildren, as well as groups for parents of youth in Juvenile Probation and parents of infants served by the Napa Infant and Preschool Programs.  Latino support groups conducted in Spanish on general issues are also provided.

Kinship Support Services Program  ...             for grandparents and other relative caregivers caring for children with disabilities and special needs allowing children to remain within their extended family and avoid placement in unrelated foster care.   More Trainings and Workshops ...             to help parents better understand special education, their child’s disability and how to advocate for the services they need. Lending Library ... includes books, videos, magazines, articles and audiotapes on a wide variety of disability topics.

Drop-in Resource Center ...
            is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Stop by and browse through our lending library, learn about upcoming ParentsCAN support groups, events and trainings, as well as get brochures or flyers on other Napa County agencies which may be able to support your family.

We are proud that:

• All of our services are available in both English and Spanish
• Half of our staff is bilingual and bicultural
• All of our services are free of charge
  
  

Some tools that ParentsCAN provides for families and professionals ...

Information Packets
Information on various topics such as Individual Education Plans (IEP), 504 Plans, and Assessments, as well as on specific disabilities like ADD/ADHD and Learning Disabilities

Parent Notebooks
A binder parents can use as a tool to organize important information regarding their child

“The Advocate”
A quarterly newsletter of in-depth information and upcoming events

To learn more about us, read some of our Success Stories....

Coming to Grips with Mental Illness, by Natalie Hoffman  
Give Them a Break, Foster Parents Need Respite, Local Leaders Drum Up Support, by David Ryan
Creative Differences: Photographer's Images Capture Spirit of Special Needs Kid, by Kathleen Dreessen
Parenting for the Second Time, by Carlos Villatoro
ParentsCAN, by Ev Parker