Vol. 4, No. 1 • Fall 1999

Do You Care for a Teen with Disabilities?

In response to a growing need for information targeted towards individuals with disabilities as they transition into adulthood, the Family Support Network of North Carolina launched an effort to increase resources and information available to adolescents and young adults in 1997.

The adolescent and early adult years are a critical developmental period for young people with disabilities: with the right information and support, they will be able to achieve the greatest degree of independence, expanding their life options and maximizing their community participation. The Family Support Network seeks to address those informational and support needs by:

• incorporating information about the needs of youth with disabilities into existing Family Support Network Parent-to-Parent Programs,
  
  
• enhancing the Family Support Network Lending library to include videos and books on adolescent and young adult issues, and
  
  
• adding information relevant to adolescents and young adults to their Central Directory of Resources, which people throughout North Carolina can access free of charge by calling 800/852-0042.

Part of the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Family Support Network of N.C. has been providing support and information to families of children with special needs since 1985. They can provide you with information about your child�s disability or put you in touch with parents of children with similar needs. For more information, call the number above, or visit their website.

Copyright � 2000 Jordan Institute for Families