Through the Children with Special Health Care Needs program, assistance is given to families in finding appropriate community resources. Families are referred to community or state agencies to help them access health insurance and/or services for their children with special needs. Follow-up is offered to check on the need for further assistance. Outreach is provided within the community, including various community agencies, medical offices, daycare centers, preschools, and health fairs regarding services for children with special needs.
Please call us at 607.778.2851 for more information. You will also find useful information in the links below.
Helpful Links
COVID-19
Coronavirus Guidance from Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
Coronavius (COVID-19) Information and Resources for Families - Assistance with essentials including food, utilities, housing, mental health, clothing, household goods. Or call 1-800-901-2180.
Ask the Expert: Caring for Children with Special Healthcare Needs During COVID-19 - Webinar
Hidden Consequences: How the COVID Pandemic is Impacting Children - Webinar series
EVENTS and ACTIVITIES
Move United: Disabled Sports USA and Adaptive Sports USA recently merged to become Move United. Check out (below) their newly combined resources for live and recorded adaptive fitness classes.
- For live events: Select "Stay Active with Live Events" near the bottom of the page. You will find an upcoming event calendar with the day/date/time and description of upcoming adaptive fitness events To register, click on the selected activity and you will be brought to the registration page.
- For on demand or recorded programs: Select "Stay Active With On Demand Programs." You will find a selection of recorded adaptive physical activity programs. Select the activity you are interested in and you will be brought to the recording.
Special Olympics New York - Offering a virtual program and resources for athletes
Special Olympics School of Strength - Offers a whole new way to exercise, featuring WWE superstar Becky Lynch. Three levels of videos for beginners to master athletes.
Adapt to Perform - Ben Clark is a You Tuber that has created video workouts adapted for people with mobility disabilities.
Teach Me To Talk - An excellent resource for therapists and families of children 0-5. This was previously sold on DVD, but has been made available to view via You Tube for FREE!
Zensational Kids Emergency Tool Kit - Free videos for parents and educators - Mindful Tools to Help Parents Stay Sane and Create Calm
TOPSoccer is a safe and inclusive soccer program to teach and play soccer with children with special needs, run by Binghamton University students.
To join, visit: /sites/default/files/dept/hd/pdfs/TOPSoccer%20Poster.pdf
GiGi's Playhouse - Offers free educational, therapeutic-based and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community, through a replicable playhouse model
Resources for Families of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN)
- New York State Parent Portal- Information about resources, agencies, acronyms, transitions and much more
- Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Program - Information regarding community resources for Developmental Disability, Family Support, Mental Health, and Transition from Adolescence to Independence
- CYSCHN Resource Guide for the Southern Tier Region - Lists resources for children and youth with special health care needs, as well as their advocates, caregivers, families, and providers
- Multiple Systems Navigator - Access helpful health, education, human service and disability information on one user-friendly website, built for youth, parents, family members and caregivers that rely on supports from multiple child and family serving systems
- Resource Directory for Children and Young Adults with Special Health Care Needs - Available in English / Chinese / French / Italian / Korean / Polish / Russian / Spanish
- NYS Early Intervention Program - Offers a variety of therapeutic and support services to eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families
- Developmental Disabilities - Early Intervention Program, NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council - State agencies who assist individuals with developmental delays or disabilities and their families
- Family Support - State agencies that offer family support services
- Literacy Volunteers of Broome/Tioga County, Inc. - provides free reading and math help for adults who test at or below an elementary level - also help for individuals over 16 seeking to pass a High School equivalency exam or English lessons for speakers of other languages
- Mental Health - State agencies that offer mental health services
- New York State Parent Guide - Parent guide for children and their caregivers: Starting life together - the story of the first five years of your parenting journey. Whether you are a mother or father (through birth, adoption, or foster care), a grandparent, partner, family friend, aunt or uncle with parenting responsibilities, what you say and do in your role as a parent matters.
- Prevent Child Abuse New York - Being a parent is hard. Be brave. Get Help. Find parenting resources right now.
- Special Needs Transportation - From Indiana University School of Medicine Automotive Safety Program
- Child Passenger Safety - Car seat safety information
Insurance/Medicaid
- Mothers & Babies Perinatal Network - Facilitated Enrollment for Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicaid
- New York Medicaid Waiver - Medicaid waivers help provide services to people who would otherwise be in a nursing home or hospital to receive long-term care in the community, including those with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and Autism
Health Care
- How Can I Get the Best Health Care for my Child? - Explains the importance of having a medical home. Available in English / Spanish / French / Russian / Chinese
- Immunization Information - Immunization Action Coalition - Offers information and videos for health professionals, coalitions and the public
Child Development
- Broome County Early Intervention Program - The Early Intervention Program is a statewide program that provides many different types of services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Early Help Makes a Difference!
- Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! - A coordinated effort to encourage healthy child development, universal developmental and behavioral screening for children, and support for the families and providers who care for them
Delays/Disabilities/Conditions
- Developmental Disabilities - NYS Early Intervention Program, NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council - State agencies who assist individuals with developmental delays or disabilities and their families
- Autism Resources for Families - National Autism Center
- Rochester Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder - Sponsored by the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities
- Sesame Street Autism Resources for Families
- CDC Autism Links and Resources
- Operation Autism - Directly supports U.S. military families touched by Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Estate Planning for Parents of Kids with Autism
- Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism - Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
- Accommodation Resources - Autism Spectrum Disorders/Asperger Syndrome
- Reduce the Noise - Help loved ones with sensory overload enjoy shopping
- Cerebral Palsy Guide - A guide for helping children with cerebral palsy
- Cerebral Palsy Guidance - Guidance and assistance to parents of a child with cerebral palsy
- Congential Heart Disease - Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening
- IDEA - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities
- Asthma - People with Asthma should have an Asthma Action Plan that you develop with your doctor to help control your asthma
- Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - This webinar will give a brief overview of FASD, identify some of the challenges of raising an individual with FASD over the lifespan and look at strategies that could be useful when living or working with them. Children prenatally exposed to alcohol become adults with FASD. Understanding that the permanent brain damage caused by alcohol exposure may be the reason individuals with FASD fail in school, treatment, in the workforce, and with relationships can help us to form strategies that may work and help the individual have a successful, happy life.
Transition
- Transition from Adolescence to Independence - Information for individuals with disabilities who are transitioning from youth to adulthood
- Healthy Transitions - Information regarding moving from pediatric to adult care
- Parent Center Hub - Transition to adulthood for students with disabilities
Special Education
- NYS Education Department
- Special Education Guide - The special education process explained
- Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) - U.S. Department of Education
- Friendship Circle - 5 Items that can help your child with special needs on the first day of school
- Wrights Law - Accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.
- FAPE - Free and Appropriate Public Education
- ADDitude Magazine - Strategies and Support for ADHD & LDHD
- Achieving Success at School - Back-to-school tips
- Advocates for Children of New York- Protecting every child's right to learn
- Written Notification Regarding Use of Public Benefits or Insurance to Pay for Certain Special Education and Related Services
Helpful Community Organizations and Services
- Birthright of Binghamton - Provides a variety of services and also refers for many more; free pregnancy tests and support
- Boys and Girls Club of Binghamton
- Broome County Children and Family Services - Broome County Child and Family Services Plan and Forum, Daycare Unit, Family Services Unit, Central Intake Unit, Protective Services for Adults
- Broome County Dental Society - Represents more than 145 dentists in th Broome County area
- BroomeINCLUDES - a county-wide initiative aimed at making sure everyone in need of assistance gets the help they need.
- Broome County Health Department - Links to: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Clinic Services & Disease Control, Environmental Health, Maternal Child Health & Development, WIC, Children with Special Needs, Emergency Preparedness, Broome Opioid Abuse Council, Research and Publications
- Broome County Department of Social Services - Assistance and support programs for children and families
- Broome County Lead Primary Prevention Program - Through a grant from NY State, this program is able to help local property owners identify potential lead hazards in their properties, and aid them in correcting the hazards in a lead-safe way
- Building Brighter Futures for Broome - Through Broome County Health Department, provides education to parents on proper child care for healthy development and education; also provides means for economic stability
- Caring 4 Our Kids - For parents of kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia
- CHOW - Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse
- Code Enforcement - City of Binghamton
- Code Enforcement - Johnson City
- Code Enforcement - Town of Union
- Code Enforcement - Town of Vestal
- Cornell Cooperative Extension
- CreateABLE - Life is Washable: provides programming designed to complement services and support for individuals and families with a special needs diagnosis, creating opportunities for all to be ABLE to connect in their communities
- Crime Victims Assistance Center - Compassionate support and education, enhancing the community's ability to prevent and respond to victims of crime
- Family and Community Engagement Centers of the South Region
- Early Childhood - provides information, referral and support to families and professionals working with children, both typically developing and those with special education needs, ages birth through five
- School Age - building effective partnerships between schools, communities and families of children with special needs
- Family & Children's Society - Provides help, care and counseling services for people in all stages of life
- Family Enrichment Network - Supportive services for the optimal development of children and families
- Family Planning of South Central NY
- Family Resource Network- Offers the programs and services that help parents do their best possible job while offering unique learning and growth opportunities for kids, teens and adults alike
- FEMA - Designed to educate Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters
- HCA - A non-profit organization that provides programs and services to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families
- Healthy Families New York - services include helping families access community resources and services, educating families on parenting and child development, connecting families with medical providers, and assessing children for developmental delays
- Institute for Child Development - To help excel children in our community challenged by developmental and learning disorders
- Life's Choices - So you think you might be pregnant...now what?
- Mom's House - Celebrating Life and Empowering Parents Through Education and Child Care
- OPWDD - Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
- Opportunities for Broome - Assists individuals and families with services that include emergency assistance, advocacy, early education, and safe and affordable housing
- Parent-to-Parent of NYS - Addressing special health care needs in the IEP
- Parents and Children Together (PACT) - A Parents As Teachers home visiting program that offers services, from pregnancy until the child reaches age five, to families living in Broome and Tioga Counties
- RISE - Assists families who experience or a threated with domestic violence
- Rural Health Network - The health and well-being of rural people and communities of South Central New York
- Salvation Army
- Social Security Administration
- Southern Tier Independence Center - a not-for-profit, community-based advocacy and service organization for children and adults with all types of disabilities
- Women, Infants and Children - Health assessments, breastfeeding support, nutrition education and counseling, as well as referrals and vouchers for healthy foods to pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants and children up to age five
- YMCA - Programs for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility
- YWCA - Services for women, including housing, cancer screening, child care and clothing for job interviews
