Children's Resource Center-South

Resources for children with special health needs and the families who care for them

Don’t worry about calming the storm. Calm yourself; the storm will pass. -source unknown

Featured Resources and Events

Health Insurance Basics with Covering Wisconsin  Recording  Covering WI Resource Sheet Basics of Insurance Slides

Families of Medically Complex Children: A Parent-Led Virtual Support Group 2nd Saturday 5:00-6:00pm Oct 11 from Connecting Families Network

Fall 2025 Transition Talks Tuesdays  Oct 14 at noon — How does the Youth Health Transition Initiative Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families? Oct 28 — How does the Statewide Parent Educator Initiative (WSPEI) Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families? All sessions will be at noon. More dates and topics are on the webpage and registration is open! Flyer TTT Fall 2025 Sep 23  What’s After High School? (Recording and Resources); Sep 30 — How do the Wisconsin Technical Colleges Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families? (Recording and Resources);  Oct 7 Supporting Students with Disabilities in Transition to Adulthood (WI FACETS) (Recording and Resources)

Statewide Transition Table Talks 7:00-8:00pm Second Tuesdays & Noon on the 3rd Wednesdays 10/14 and 10/15–Community Connections; 11/11 & 11/19–Power of Choice; 12/9 & 12/17–Holiday Harmony) a casual, low-pressure Zoom Chat where parents and caregivers can connect, shared what’s working, exchange ideas, ask questions, and support each other through the ups and downs of raising kids. No experts, no lectures-just families helping families.

Thinking About Supported Decision Making (online) Oct 15, 5:30-6:45 We explore the things that families need to know about decision-making supports and other legal tools for adults in Wisconsin, including guardianship. In partnership with Waukesha County Transition Advisory Council. FV Events October 2025

Moms of Children with Complex Medical Needs (in-Person) 6:00 – 8:00pm every third Thursday of each month, 10/16, 11/20, 12/18; No registration is needed! You may drop in at anytime and stay for as long as you are able at GlouGlou Wine Bar, 11 N. Allen St., Madison WI 53726 – Connect in-person with other moms on a similar journey (All mothers, grandmothers, and other female caregivers of children are welcome) from Connecting Families Network

Exploring Care Mapping (inperson) Oct 23, 6:00-7:00pm at Hedberg Public Library in Janesville (Friends Community Room) A hands-on opportunity to create a care map. A Care Map is a visual way to show all the people and services involved in caring for and supporting a child with special health care needs. Each family’s care map may look different as each family decides how many details to include.

MI HIJO HA SIDO DIAGNOSTICADO CON UNA NECESIDAD ESPECIAL. CUALES RECURSOS HAY EN MI COMUNIDAD? el martes, 28 de octubre, 6:30-8:30pm virtual (https://bit.ly/recursosrock) Por favor inscríbase aquí. Después de registrarse, se le enviará un enlace de Zoom, que también podrá encontrar en este foleto. CRC-S October 2025 Training

Upcoming Events as of Wednesday, Oct 8

Families of Medically Complex Children: A Parent-Led Virtual Support Group 2nd Saturday 5:00-6:00pm Oct 11 from Connecting Families Network

Families as Partners (virtual) 5:30pm-8:30pm 10/13; 10/20; 10/27 This series of four educational and leadership sessions for families is focused on building relationships with school staff and other supportive individuals in order to enhance student outcomes. From the WSPEI project

Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP) Professional Training (inperson) Oct 14, 9:00am-3:00pm in Stevens Point by Transition Improvement Grant

Fall 2025 Transition Talks Tuesdays All sessions will be at noon. Registration is open! Oct 14 — How does the Youth Health Transition Initiative Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families?; Oct 28 — How does the Statewide Parent Educator Initiative (WSPEI) Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families?; Nov 11 — How do the Wisconsin Independent Living Centers Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families?; Nov 18 — How does the Wisconsin Transition Improvement Grant Support Youth Moving into Adulthood and their Families?; Nov 25 — How does Wisconsin’s Juvenile Justice System Support Youth Moving into Adulthood?; Dec 2 (To be finalized) How does Wisconsin’s Foster Care System Support Youth Moving into Adulthood?   More information on the webpage and  Flyer TTT Fall 2025 Recordings and Resources from previous sessions are available.

Disability Disclosure and the Interactive Process Oct 14, 12:00-1:15pm from Northeast ADA Center

Developmental Screening Table Tool Training (online, free) Oct 14, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Statewide Transition Table Talks 7:00-8:00pm Second Tuesdays 10/14–Community Connections; 11/11–Power of Choice; 12/9–Holiday Harmony) a casual, low-pressure Zoom Chat where parents and caregivers can connect, shared what’s working, exchange ideas, ask questions, and support each other through the ups and downs of raising kids. No experts, no lectures-just families helping families.

Everybody Wants to Be Loved . . . Rights vs Safety (inperson) Oct 15 9:00am-12:00pm People with disabilities have the same desires and dreams to be in a relationship as those without disabilities. So how do you support these individuals while teaching healthy boundaries and safety? What are their rights when it comes to being in a relationship? How do we address safety concerns? In this training, we will discuss strategies, statistics, safety, investigations, and victim advocacy. With Joe Aguilar and Pam Malin Training hosted by Community Outreach Wisconsin. There is a fee.

Transition Learning Sessions: Gain Independence and Skills to Live in the Community Wednesday, October 15, 12:00 – 12:45 An online talk about the transition to adult life for families with children ages 14 and older. Guest Speakers: Representatives from Independence First. This session will be most helpful for families living in Milwaukee County. Family Voices, Milwaukee Public FV Events October 2025

The Power of Relationships: Foundations for Effective Autism Advocacy (online) Oct 15, 3:00pm Family ECHO: Autism Series from Nationwide Children’s

Family, Youth & Community Engagement (virtual) 4:00-5:30pm 10/15; 11/19; 1/21; 2/18; 3/18; 4/16 The Family , Youth & Community Engagement Network is for educators, families, caregivers, and others who want to see improvement in family engagement across the state of Wisconsin. Learn from each other and experts in the field. Come join us! From the WSPEI project

Thinking About Supported Decision Making (online) Oct 15, 5:30-6:45 We explore the things that families need to know about decision-making supports and other legal tools for adults in Wisconsin, including guardianship. In partnership with Waukesha County Transition Advisory Council. FV Events October 2025

42nd Annual NADD Conference, Oct 15-17 Minneapolis, MN Join leaders, clinicians, direct support professionals, researchers and advocates at the premier event dedicated to advancing mental health care and quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and co-occurring mental health needs.

Expanding Access: Leveraging Strategic Partnerships and Funding toward Transportation Options (virtual) Oct 16, 12:00pm from IPARRT

Moms of Children with Complex Medical Needs (in-Person) 6:00 – 8:00pm every third Thursday of each month, 10/16, 11/20, 12/18; No registration is needed! You may drop in at anytime and stay for as long as you are able at GlouGlou Wine Bar, 11 N. Allen St., Madison WI 53726 – Connect in-person with other moms on a similar journey (All mothers, grandmothers, and other female caregivers of children are welcome) from Connecting Families Network

A Seat at the Table: What It Really Means to Be on a Committee, Board, or Council (virtual) 6:00-8:00pm 10/16; 10/23 In this 3-part series using the Serving on Groups curriculum, participants will: Learn about different types of groups and their purpose, and structure in a school setting; Assess and grow their own personal strengths, knowledge, and skills for effective participation in a group(including IEP meetings); Receive a printed training manual. From the WSPEI project.

2025 Mental Health America Conference: Turn Awareness into Action (In-Person) Oct 16-17.

Call for Presenters due Oct 17 for the 2026 Circles of Life Conference (May 14-15 in Stevens Point)

Parenting while Rising to Child Developmental Challenges (free & online) 2:00PM-3:00PM Oct 20 Holding On to Hope and Confronting Grief; Nov 17 A Mother’s Perseverance Against All Odds; Dec 15 Drawing on Family and Cultural Strengths to Thrive in Life. All conversations feature live Spanish language translation and captioning. From Brazelton Touchpoints Center Family-to-Family Real Talk series.

Being Your Child’s Best/Most Effective Advocate (virtual) Oct 20, 4:30pm-6:00pm Strong advocacy skills are critical as you work to ensure your child’s benefits from his/her education. Learn the steps to help you effectively advocate for your child’s needs. Remember, you are an equal partner in your child’s education from ECAC (North Carolina)

Virtual Knowledge Translation Conference 2025 (KTDRR2025): Enhancing Knowledge Translation: Impact Measurement, Online Strategies, and Technological Integration Oct 20, 21, 23 From the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability & Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR)

The Family’s Role in the CCR-IEP Process (online) Oct 21 & Oct 28 11:00am-1:00pm This workshop is aimed at equipping parents and other family members with knowledge and confidence to actively engage in the IEP process. For families who have a child between the ages of 3-21 who has an IEP. Educators are encouraged to participate as well! from the WSPEI Project

‍Using Photo-Narratives to Enhance Humanistic Care  Oct 21, 2:00pm Pediatric Palliative Care Webinar Series–parents/caregivers can register for free (there is a fee for others)

Managing an ABLEnow Account (virtual) Oct 22, 11:00am-12:00pm from ABLEnow

Addressing Challenging Behaviors (virtual) Oct 22, 12-1:00pm from the PACER Center

Power & Control: Recognizing Power Dynamics – In Person Training Oct 23, 9:00am-12:00pm at the UW South Madison Partnership from Community Outreach Wisconsin There is a fee.

Reducing Barriers: The Impact of Language Access Services in Health Care Delivery and Education (Virtual) Oct 23th 11am-1pm; This training is for health care and educational service providers who serve non-English-speaking families with children with disabilities.

Medicaid Made Easy (virtual) Oct 23, 11:30am-12:30pm We give families a solid understanding of Medicaid programs for young children. From Family Voices of Wisconsin in partnership with Children’s Resource Center-South. FV Events October 2025

Effective communication when addressing bullying with the IEP team (virtual) Oct 23, 12-1:00pm from the PACER Center

Exploring Care Mapping (inperson) Oct 23, 6:00-7:00pm at Hedberg Public Library in Janesville (Friends Community Room) A hands-on opportunity to create a care map. A Care Map is a visual way to show all the people and services involved in caring for and supporting a child with special health care needs. Each family’s care map may look different as each family decides how many details to include.

Living with Grief  10/23 6:00pm (Masking & Unmasking); 11/20 6:00pm (Grief & Gratitude); 12/18 6:00pm (Holiday Grief) All sessions will be held via Zoom. Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/LivingWithGriefGroup Drop in for just one session, or attend as many as you’d like! All are welcome. Grief is not only experienced when a person passes away. Grief accompanies all types of loss. Join us for this four-part series on grief for parents and other family caregivers of children with disabilities, medical complexity, and other special health care needs. From Connecting Families Network. Living with Grief_Flyer

Exploring Care Mapping (inperson) Oct 23, 6:00-7:00pm at the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville

26th Annual Chronic Illness & Disability Conference Oct 23-24 Houston, TX Transition from Pediatric to Adult-Based Care

When the Path Isn’t Clear Navigating the Difficult Journey Oct 24, 8:30am-4:30pm; The agenda will highlight unrecognized needs of both parents and siblings and will include small group sessions for participants to observe and to practice communication skills with family members facing difficult challenges and decisions. Conference held at Arbor Hospice Office, 2366 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor MI, 48103. Free for Family Members, though prices for others vary

Waisman Center Day with the Experts: AAC Oct 25 9:00am-11:00am. In-person at the Waisman Center and Live via Zoom, Wiley Conference Center, Second Floor, North Tower, 1500 Highland Ave | Madison WI 53705

Using Chrome tools to support diverse readers (Virtual) Oct 27, 2-3pm; learn how to make reading more accessible and engaging with Chrome!

What’s After High School? (online) Oct 27, 5:30-6:30pm  This is a broad overview of the transition to adult life for youth ages 14 – 21 with disabilities and special health care needs. From Family Voices of Wisconsin and Getting to College. FV Events October 2025

Join The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy for their 3rd Annual Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship Keynote event, “Permission, Pleasure, and Power: Consent as the Foundation for Disability and Reproductive Justice,” featuring our 2025 Distinguished Fellow, Laura Millar, and Rebecca Cokley. Online Oct 28 4:30pm

Turning Questions into Confidence: Benefits and Work Demystified Training In-Person Oct 28, 9:30am-12:00pm at the Wisconsin Hotel in the WI Dells OR Virtual Oct 30, 10:00am-12:00pm via Zoom This is a targeted training designed to help Wisconsin-based professionals understand the role of Work Incentive Benefits Specialists and how to support informed decision-making around employment. Registration is required for this free training.

Families of Medically Complex Children: A Parent-Led Virtual Support Group 4th Tuesday 12:00-1:00pm Oct 28 from Connecting Families Network

MI HIJO HA SIDO DIAGNOSTICADO CON UNA NECESIDAD ESPECIAL. CUALES RECURSOS HAY EN MI COMUNIDAD? el martes, 28 de octubre, 6:30-8:30pm virtual (https://bit.ly/recursosrock) Por favor inscríbase aquí. Después de registrarse, se le enviará un enlace de Zoom, que también podrá encontrar en este foleto. CRC-S October 2025 Training

What’s After High School? Focus on DVR Services (virtual) Oct 29, 11:30am-12:30pm Last Wednesday from Family Voices of Wisconsin with guests from DWD/DVR FV Events October 2025

Book Discussion: Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher’s Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success 4:00-5:30pm Sep 22 & Oct 29 In Powerful Partnerships, the goal is to strengthen family engagement practices and, in doing so, strengthen classroom success for all students. This work is incredibly impactful. In order for you to achieve the best possible results, one important factor is the strong ties you build with the families and community members that your school serves. Those strong partnerships are important to maximize student learning. From the WSPEI Project

Thinking About Supported Decision Making (virtual) Oct 29, 5:00-6:00pm We explore the things that families need to know about decision-making supports and other legal tools for adults in Wisconsin, including guardianship. From Family Voices of Wisconsin in partnership with TMG

Fall Family Gathering for families of children 0-3 who are deaf or hard of hearing (inperson) Nov 1, 9:30am-11:30am at Henry Vilas Zoo Email Lauren at burkela01@uww.edu Madison Zoo Playgroup 2025 Registration link on the flyer.

INSPIRE Job Shadowing Program: Each October, in honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the City of Madison hosts high school, college, and technical school students of all ages with disabilities who are seeking job-shadowing experiences that match their career goals.  The City of Madison has so many different types of jobs for students to explore – Fleet, Parks, Information Technology, Civil Rights, and more!  INSPIRE participants will also have the opportunity to attend workshops about disability at work and how to navigate the job application and interview process. Job shadowing will take place on Wednesday, October 29. Once students apply program staff match them with a City of Madison staff working in a role that aligns with their interest. Applications are processed on a first come, first serve basis and are due by October 17.

Things to Remember

• The transition from youth to adult services can be a big change. Your ADRC (aging and disability resource center) or Tribal ADRS (aging and disability resource specialist) is here to help make it easier for you and your family. This guide is a place to start. It has details about these topics: Getting Ready; Youth in Transition Timeline; ADRC, Tribal ADRS, and disability benefit specialist; Transition Partners; How to Make Legal Decisions; Health Care Transition; Social Security Benefits; Public Benefits; Jobs and Employment; Housing; Advocacy; Adult Long-Term Care Programs. View and download the guide at: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p00413a.pdf
• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), in partnership with the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin (DSAW), launched a toll-free ADRC and Tribal Nations Partner Agency Locator Service on February 3. The toll-free phone number, 1-844-WIS-ADRC (1-844-947-2372), provides another way for residents to connect with their local aging and disability resource center (ADRC) or Tribal Nations partner agency.
  ADRCs provide Wisconsin residents with unbiased information related to aging or living with a disability. The ADRC’s goal is to connect residents with the right resources for their aging and disability needs. ADRCs are located in all 72 counties in Wisconsin. Most Tribal nations have dedicated Tribal aging and disability resource specialists (ADRS). Tribal ADRS help Tribal members get information in a way that is culturally responsive. They also help members access long-term care services. Tribal members have the option to work with the local ADRC or a Tribal ADRS where available
• Wisconsin Birth to 3 Program is committed to serving children under the age of 3 with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. We value your family’s primary relationship with your child and work in partnership with your family. We work to enhance your child’s development and support your family’s knowledge, skills, and abilities as you interact with and raise your child. Learn more at Wisconsin Wayfinder.
• Katie Beckett Medicaid provides access to Wisconsin Medicaid services for children with disabilities, mental illness, or complex medical needs. Katie Beckett helps some children whose parents have too high of an income for Medicaid, and those covered by private insurance, get a ForwardHealth Medicaid card so they can receive needed services and equipment that might not otherwise be covered. They will be connected with an eligibility specialist who will explain the Medicaid benefit and help the family decide if they want to pursue enrollment. Learn more at Wisconsin Wayfinder.
• Dane County Behavioral Health Resource Center — If you, someone you care about, or someone you are working with needs help finding mental health and/or substance use services in Dane County. The BHRC phone line is available Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm at (608) 267-2244; Email the BHRC at BHRC@countyofdane.com