What We Do

a.       Parent to Parent—staff at ParentsCAN are parents and close family members of children with special needs. Because we have lived experience, client families trust us and know that we will provide good information without judgement. Studies show that the Parent to Parent format builds resilience and improves client outcomes.

b.      Triple P – Our staffers take hundreds of hours of Triple P instructor training to prepare them to teach parenting classes and effectively support children and families using the evidence-based and well-researched Positive Parenting Program.

Partners – The children who come to ParentsCAN have a wide range of disabilities. Some families aren’t sure what support is available for their situation and need help identifying the right options; some families already know what treatments and accommodations their child need, but are having trouble getting access to resources.  For all of our client families, it’s critical that ParentsCAN has invested the time and energy to build strong working relationships with dozens of agencies, departments, and organizations that are important service providers for Napa County children with disabilities. 

a.       ParentsCAN is a Family Resource Center – National data shows that families with children with special needs often deal with increased expenses and time demands in order to care for their children. At the same time, Napa County has a high cost of living, and a population that includes groups that face challenges with income, language barriers, rural/remote location, and immigration status.   If parents are struggling to meet the basic needs of their family, the time and energy required to manage a child’s disability are additional stressors that can become an overwhelming burden. As an FRC, ParentsCAN evaluates clients for critical basic need issues like unstable housing or food, and then guides families to the resources that will bring stability.

b.      We are a member of the Napa County COAD – ParentsCAN is a trusted source of help and information for our client families. In order to effectively serve our community during disasters, we actively participate in the COAD, which builds partnerships for communication, coordination & collaboration between non-profit organizations, government agencies, faith-based groups, and the private sector. 

a.       Community, connection and resilience - Parents of children with disabilities often struggle with isolation. Sometimes it's difficult to get out of the house because of a child's medical or mobility issue, and sometimes their child's disability causes behaviors that make socializing complicated.  By providing a safe space for parents with similar experiences to meet and connect, ParentsCAN offers the opportunity to build friendships that are important longterm support.

a.       Advocacy - From our founding, we've understood that as parents, there is no one more committed to a brighter future for our children.

b.     Self-advocacy - The voices of individuals with disabilities, including cognitive disabilities and neural differences, must be included in decisions that affect them whenever possible. We actively encourage children to participate in special education meetings and medical appointments so that they get a chance to get comfortable advocating for themselves.