Parenting Special Kids Network is an advertiser of Sonoran Living.
Parenting Special Kids Network: Empowering Families - Overcome Challenges
The Need:
Being a parent is one of life’s greatest blessings, but it can also be intimidating and difficult at times. From birth, when children are entirely dependent on their parents' care, to early adulthood, when many become independent and transition into adulthood, the parent's role remains crucial in helping their child lead a meaningful and fulfilling life.
For some parents, launching their child into adulthood looks very different and can feel overwhelming and even hopeless, especially when raising a child with any kind of disability. This situation brings many additional responsibilities, expenses, and concerns, often leaving parents to navigate uncharted waters as they work to secure the resources their child needs to thrive.
We wholeheartedly believe that every child is designed with intention and a unique purpose. We assist parents in obtaining the support, encouragement, and resources they need to help their children live meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Mission Statement:
Our mission is to create a nurturing and empowering community where parents of children with disabilities of all ages find support, access to resources, and personalized assistance to ensure their children receive the services they need to thrive.
We will fulfill our Mission by offering parents:
1. One-On-One Consultation: We will meet with parents and caregivers to discuss the services their child is eligible for and create a plan that addresses their unique needs. The plan may include various options, such as SSI, DDD, AHCCCS, Guardianship, Special Needs Trusts, Vocational Rehab, ABLE Accounts, College Special Needs Programs, Assisted Living, Respite, Diagnosis-Specific Agencies, and others. Additionally, we are available to assist in completing any required paperwork.
2. Parent-To-Parent Support: Our support groups meet at the same time and location as an existing regular gathering for people with special needs. These support groups are designed to provide parents and caregivers with a space to meet for encouragement, support, and training.
3. Support Group Development: We will assist those who coordinate groups that meet regularly in starting a support group for parents and caregivers. The process is as follows:
• We will begin by scheduling a casual "open house" style meeting during the group's usual meeting time, but in a different room. The purpose of this meeting is to inform parents and caregivers about the services we offer and to gauge their interest in starting a support group.
• If there is enough interest in starting a support group, we will schedule up to six more meetings, spaced 4-5 weeks apart, that we will lead while training someone from the group who will lead future meetings.
About Us:
Parenting Special Kids Network is led by President/Director Jeff Thibault. Jeff and his wife, Debbie, have a 27-year-old daughter with an intellectual disability and an anxiety disorder. Jeff's professional career spans 25 years on the Young Life staff, 10 years as the Marriage & Family Pastor at North Bible Church, and 2 years as the Director of Operations & Training for Dr. John Trent’s StrongFamilies. It was during these years that he developed a passion for helping families, especially those going through a similar parenting journey as theirs.
After retiring from Young Life in October 2022, Jeff started the Parenting Special Kids Network to help parents and caregivers get the support, training, and encouragement they need to help their children thrive. As of the writing of this document, Jeff is the only paid employee, and we have several volunteers who help with diagnosis-specific cases and our Spanish-speaking clients. We also collaborate with over twenty-five 'trusted professionals' in various fields, such as diagnosis-specific agencies, legal, financial, and medical services, to which we refer our clients as needed.
Why We Are Unique:
While several agencies provide numerous services, Parenting Special Kids Network is unique in that we do not require families to come to an office for assistance. Drawing from personal experience and conversations with many families, we understand the challenges of taking a child with a disability to an office building or arranging childcare. We accommodate families by meeting at their preferred time and location. Parenting Special Kids Network is also unique in that we remain committed to our clients through the application process. Additionally, our Parent Support Group meetings are scheduled during the child’s regular group meetings, ensuring the child’s care.
Having engaged with several 'professionals' at related agencies, we anticipate an increase in demand for our services as word spreads about our flexible and convenient 'in-person' and 'on-site' approach. As of the writing of this document Parenting Special Kids Network has served over 300 families. These services include everything from basic diagnosis clarification and service eligibility to helping families lay out a full "life care plan," including assisting in applying for state and federal services. We have started five Parent Support Groups, four in the Phoenix area, one in Flagstaff, and one in Tucson. Each of these groups meets once a month. The Director also meets with families one-on-one on the days he is in Flagstaff and Tucson each month.
Here is one example of a family we recently worked with:
One of our staff members recently met with a couple whose 22-year-old son has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy, in addition to suffering from seizures. During the initial meeting, it was evident that they were overwhelmed. As they shared the details of their daily challenges in caring for their son, the magnitude of their situation became apparent.
When we inquired about the services their son was receiving, the mother responded, "He doesn't receive any services, what do you mean?" Over the next hour, we laid out a plan to help them apply for the state and federal assistance programs their son qualified for—information they were previously unaware of.
Since that meeting, all the necessary paperwork has been submitted to ensure their son not only receives weekly therapy and lifelong healthcare, but also qualifies for monthly disability income. This financial assistance will be a significant relief, considering the father's job barely covers their bills.
Needless to say, life is now very different for this family. Their son is getting the services he needs to thrive, and they are receiving financial help, giving them hope for the future.
Is there any part of this story that resonates with you? Is there any way you could see your family investing into this story? If so, our 501c3 tax ID number, and a detailed budget are available upon request. All other information is available on our website www.psknetwork.org
