Find Parent Support Groups in Your AreaHow to find parent support groups in your area. Why go to a support group anyway? Isn't it like going to AA or something? No, it is not at all like going to AA. Support groups are simply others who are going through similar experiences as you and your family and it gives you a chance to meet and talk with them. They can also be a good place for finding out about special needs services and resources in your area. No one will make you get up and "tell your story", unless you want to. Parent Support Groups are a place to realize that you are not alone, and that you are not the only one dealing with a situation like this. It is a place you can be safe and meet others going through common experiences and help each other. Support groups are a great source of information, based on the actual experience of others. Support groups are a good place to meet and develop not just friendships, but natural supports for you and your family. Sounds good, but what do you mean by "natural support"? Natural supports are who you go to for help, or a shoulder to lean on that are not professionals. There are support groups out there for parents, the whole family, and others for just the youth - the Teens. Your professional service providers are there only for a set period of time. You may not realize that right now but that is the way the system is designed. So, where do you turn when you've "graduated" from your service program? Your natural supports: friends, family, your 2nd cousin, twice removed on your husband's side, your pastor, youth director, deacon, a family or peer support partner, or other people you know in the community. "But where can I find these "natural support" people? I can't think of anybody right now and I have so much to deal with..." You do have to look for and cultivate these relationships, and a great place to get started is at a local special needs support group. How to find parent support groups in your areaThe community section of your local newspaper is a great place to start. They will usually list community announcements for non-profit groups free of charge. Many times local radio stations make announcements for upcoming (non-profit) community events as well, often free of charge as well. Check AM stations, especially stations using a talk radio format, but you can call and ask at any station to which you normally listen. Call your local Community Mental Health office and ask them if they know of any parent support groups that meet locally. Ask them if they know of local advocacy or peer support groups as they are usually the ones sponsoring or facilitating local support groups and are a great source of information about other services and supports as well. Check with state and national groups, agencies and foundations. For example, there is a national group for mental health called NAMI (National Association for Mentally Ill)which each state has a state chapter which is usually broken down into population areas for local chapters. Contacting the state or national chapter can put you in touch with the local chapter, and there are many groups out there with the same structure. Sign up for groups and listserves online. There are many groups online that you can join that provide a forum for discussion and information. Often you can find others in your area that can answer questions about support groups and services in your area. These are the "online" support groups and you can often find the specific special needs support group that applies to your situation. A word of caution about these groups - they are often dominated by specific "cliques" and may not include outsiders easily, and keep in mind that although a lot of good information gets passed through these groups, they are not professionals and you need to verify any information you get from these groups. They HAVE been known to be wrong...just be careful. Ask your child's doctor, counselor or therapist if they know of any parent or family support groups in the local area. If you have a case manager or service manager, they can find out what support groups are available and who to call to find out more information.
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