2003-2004 Support Grants

In 2003 the Council awarded Family NET Works Mini-Grants and Support Grants to expand outreach, information and support to families.

MiniGrants:

Family NET Works awarded Mini Grants to address key areas of need in the rural areas of Maryland.
H.A.M. – How About Me
A collaborative effort between Bay Shore Services, Inc. and The Arc of Worcester County, Inc., H.A.M. will outreach to families and individuals with disabilities in Wicomico, Worcester, Talbot, Caroline, Queen Anne, Cecil, Dorchester, Somerset and Kent Counties. Special emphasis will be on outreach to minority and non-native English speaking families. The goals of the project include:

• Outreach and education to families and individuals about services available on the Eastern Shore
• Organize advocacy workshops for families and individuals with disabilities
• Provide resources to empower individuals and families to access programs not traditionally available to people with disabilities
• Organize new self-advocacy groups that will act as mentors for families and resource advisors to agencies wishing to increase participation of people with disabilities.

Project ACT
A collaborative effort between Abilities Network and Resources for Families andChildren in Hagerstown, this project will provide 20 workshops to childcare providers in Allegany, Washington, and Garrett Counties. The training will be geographically accessible, as it will be provided through distance learning technology at times convenient to providers. Project goals include:

• Enhance the quality of care for all children by delivering technical assistance on-site
• Enhance the ability of providers to comply with licensing requirements through training opportunities on a wide variety of topics
• Increase the ability of providers to care for children with cognitive and physical disabilities, and children with significant behaviors that place them at risk of being dismissed.

Increasing Awareness of Mental Health Services in Minority Neighborhoods
A collaborative effort between the Mental Health Center, Ashbury United Methodist Church, and Each One Teach One, this project will outreach to African-Americans in Washington and Garrett Counties. Funds are targeted to purchase videos, printed materials, and books for presentations and sharing information about mental illness and services for African-Americans. The goals of the project include:

• Increase awareness and opportunity for African-American community members about mental health services
• Increase comfort and trust in minority neighborhoods, so that more people seek out services
  Partner with existing community services (church groups, youth organizations, and fraternal clubs) within the community.

Support Grants:

Family NET Works also awarded small Support Grants to support groups led by parents or individuals with disabilities. These represent a great diversity of groups, geographic locations and activities.

Autism Support Group - Lower Eastern Shore This newly formed group will use funds for outreach and start-up costs. Once formed, the group would like to form as an Autism Society of America Chapter.

Family Resource Information Education Network for Down Syndrome This Frederick County group provides support and education to parents, families, and individuals with Down Syndrome. 

Baltimore Chesapeake Chapter of the Autism Society of America Grant funds will be used to fund a regional training conference in October 2002, for families, service providers, and educators.

Korean American Disabled People (KADPA) KADPA, has launched an effective outreach campaign to underserved families of individuals with disabilities in the Korean Community. Through this effort, it has become apparent that families who are not yet accepting of their child's diagnosis, or of support, require additional information, and emotional support. Grant funds will be used to assist parents forming a new support group specifically targeted at newly recruited families.

Eastern Shore Down Syndrome Parent Support Group Grant funds will be used by this newly formed group in outreach efforts. A survey of needs will be conducted to define the calendar of events and menu of services available to families and individuals with Down Syndrome living on the Eastern Shore

La Hora del Café This grant will support a new group of Latino parents who have children with special needs. Monthly meetings which are conducted in Spanish, will be held at the Arc of Prince George's County. Their goals are to empower families to access needed resources, and conduct an outreach campaign to increase membership.

Parent to Parent Network of Prince George's County Grant funds will be used to support this mentorship initiative, which strives to train an ethnically and racially diverse core group of veteran parents of children with disabilities to provide information, resources and support. The network will establish and implement a system for facilitating parent-to-parent matches.

Families Together Grant funds will enable outreach efforts to military families in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties. A parent to parent approach will be used.

Families For Intensive Autism Treatment (FIAT) This grant will help fund the development and dissemination of an informational pamphlet about home based programs. Information will be sent to parents, autism professionals, pediatricians, therapists, and state and local agencies in Maryland.

Differently Abled Families This is a cross-disability group of families that will work with the YMCA in Howard County to include children with disabilities into all of the programs it offers. Staff training will include: disability awareness and details about specific disabilities.

People On the Go of Maryland This grant will fund training entitled "Understanding Boards and Committees". The session is intended to help individuals with developmental disabilities get a clearer understanding of how to be active members of committees and advocacy groups.

For additional information on any of the projects listed, please visit the Family NET Works website at www.family-networks.org.