Resources 

Information is power, and we invite you to browse the following resources for information you can use in your family if you have a child or an adult with a disability, or if you want to help educate our community about ways we can all open doors for people with disabilities. This list is not all inclusive of what is available.

Advocacy & Parent Information

• Infant Toddler Services of Kansas (State sponsored early intervention services for infants birth to age 3)

• Missouri First Steps program (entry-point for services for young children with disabilities)

• MPACT (parent training and information, including sample letters, workshops and information about volunteer parent advocates)

• Missouri Developmental Disability Resource Center

• Parents Helping Parents (search Missouri)

• Sharing Our Stengths

• Wrights Law (information about advocacy and the law)

• Families Together (Parent education and training)

• Johnson County Developmental Disabilities Organization(gatekeeper for HCBS service eligibility and waiting list in Johnson County, Kansas)

• Wyandotte County Developmental Disabilities Organization(gatekeeper for HCBS service eligibility and waiting list in Wyandotte County, Kansas)

• Kansas Department of Education

• Missouri Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education, Special Education Parent Resources 

   

Education

• Missouri Headstart & Early Headstart (An early learning program that serves children with disabilities)

• Kansas Department of Education

• Kansas Head Start

• Kansas Parents as Teachers

• The International Dyslexia Association 
   

Employment

• Kansas Vocational Rehabilitation service 
   

National Agencies and Affiliates

• UCP (National agency web site)

• Autism Society (nationwide support group)

• KCART (Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training)

• Autism Alliance of Northwest Missouri

• Down Syndrome Guild of Greater KC

• KU Center for child health and development

• National Down Syndrome Society (national advocate)

Organizations to Connect to Services

• Missouri First Steps (for children with disabilities)

• Missouri Vocational Rehab (for adults with disabilities)

• Infant Toddler Services of Kansas (State sponsored early intervention services for infants birth to age 3)

• EITAS Developmental Disabilities Services of Jackson County

• Kansas City Regional Office

• Johnson County Developmental Disabilities Organization(gatekeeper for service eligibility and waiting list in Johnson County, Kansas)

• Wyandotte County Developmental Disabilities Organization(gatekeeper for HCBS service eligibility and waiting list in Wyandotte County, Kansas)

Respite Care/Family Night Out

• Matthew's Ministry by Church of the Resurrection (free monthly respite in Leawood, KS, siblings included.  Registration required.)

• Parents' Night Out by Legacy Christian Church (freerespite at their Overland Park, Olathe, and Lee's Summit campuses for ages 3 years - adult on the first Saturday of the month.  Registration required.)

• Respite by Lakeland Community Church (free monthly respite in Lee's Summit, MO, siblings included.  Registration required.)

• Respite Care Ministry by Village Presbyterian Church (regular in home visits to give care takers a 2-4 hour break.  Submit request through their website.)

• SOAR by Grace Community Church (free bimonthly respite in south Overland Park, KS, siblings included to age 13 yrs old.  See website for calendar and to register.)

• Special Needs Program by Leawood Baptist Church (free respite in Leawood, KS, siblings included on the first Friday of the month October through May.)

• Through the Roof by Heartland Community Church (free respite in Olathe, KS, siblings included on the third Saturday of the month. Registration required.)

State Agencies

• Bureau of Special Health Care Needs (services for children and adults with disabilities, part of Mo Dept of Health and Senior Services)

• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services

• Missouri Department of Mental Health

• Missouri First Steps

• Vocational Rehabilitation

• Kansas Vocational Rehabilitation

• Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services

• Social Security Disability Resource Center
  
  

Transportation and Equipment

• Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (a Medicaid service)

• Missouri Developmental Disability Resource Center(comprehensive services and information for Missouri)

• Missouri Assistive Technology (Missouri resource for device loans, information, conferences, and many other equipment resources)

• Missouri Swap 'N Shop Equipment Exchange Program

• Accessibility Equipment Manufacturers Association

• AssistiveTech.net (database of assistive technology (AT) and disability-related information)

• The Family Center on Technology and Disability
  (information and services)

• Kansas Department of Transportation