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Home   »   Resources  »  Resource Guides

Three boys are together in a classroom setting.

Connecting for Kids is committed to providing education and support to families with a concern about their child. Families who have a child with a disability may need help advocating for their child or with teaching their child self-advocacy skills. While Connecting for Kids does not conduct advocacy work, our mission includes educating families on resources they can use to learn more.

This list is meant to offer a "jumping off" point for families. It includes organizations that are active in our community, resources to help families understand and talk about disability, as well as books for children.

Just Getting Started?

Families who are just starting to learn about disabilities and inclusion should listen to the disability series podcast, "What You Do and Say Matter" to learn about preferred language and ways to improve inclusion. We also encourage residents of the Connecting for Kids service area to contact us for personalized support.

You're Not Alone

In addition to the resources on this page, CFK offers opportunities to learn and connect with other families.

To Connect:

  • With other CFK Families who have similar experiences
  • With local pediatric experts
  • 1:1 with a CFK Family Resource Specialist

To Learn More:

  • Download Podcasts of CFK Speakers
  • Find Funding Resources
  • Understand School Services
  • How to Choose a Mental Health Provider

Local Organizations Where Families Can Learn More

The following organizations help improve disability rights.

Disability Rights Ohio (DRO)

Disability Rights Ohio provides legal advocacy and rights protection to a wide range of people with disabilities.

disabilityrightsohio.org

Easterseals - Northern Ohio Chapter

Easterseals provides exceptional services, education, outreach and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in our communities.

easterseals.com/noh

National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI’s mission is to improve the quality of life and ensure dignity and respect for persons with serious mental illness and offer support to their families and close friends.

View in Provider Directory:
NAMI Greater Cleveland
NAMI Lorain County

The Arc of Ohio and The Arc of Greater Cleveland

Dedicated to promoting and protecting the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

The Arc of Ohio
thearcofohio.org

The Arc of Greater Cleveland
View in Provider Directory

In addition to these Ohio organizations, there are a number of national organization supporting disability rights.

View more organizations...

Voices of Disabled Adults

Listening to the perspectives of people with disabilities can help you and your child learn more about the disability community and what it means to be a person with a disability in America today. This list is not all-inclusive, but offers some of the leaders in this field.

Keah Brown

Author, activist, creator of the #DisabledAndCute campaign

keahbrown.com

 Keah Brown on Facebook  Keah Brown on Twitter  Keah Brown on Instagram

Lawrence Carter-Long

Director of Communications at Disability rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), creator of the #SayTheWord campaign

LinkedIn

 
 Lawrence Carter-Long on Twitter  

Rebecca Cokley

Director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress (CAP)

Articles at CAP

 
 REbecca Cokley on Twitter  

Haben Girma

Human rights lawyer, author, speaker

habengirma.com

 Haben Girma on Facebook  Haben Girma on Twitter  Haben Girma on Instagram
Discover more voices...

Books with Diverse Characters (for children)

Families can introduce young children to diverse characters with these book suggestions:

All Are Welcome

by Alexandra Penfold


Book Cover: All are Welcome by Penfold

Partner Libraries | Amazon Smile
 

All The Way to The Top

By Annette Bay Pimentel


Book Cover: All the Way to the Top by Pimental


Partner Libraries | Amazon Smile
 

Don't Call Me Special: A First Look at Disability

by Pat Thomas

Book Cover: Don't Call Me Special by Thomas

Partner Libraries | Amazon Smile
 

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You

by Sonya Sotomayor

Book Cover: Just Ask by Sotomayor

Partner Libraries | Amazon Smile
en español

Find book suggestions for children and adults...

Websites, Videos and Articles

The internet offers a rich collection of websites, videos, articles, podcasts and more that offer support to people with disabilities and highlight disabled voices.

Disability Visibility Project

Online collection of stories collected by disability advocate, Alice Wong.

Screen Capture: Disabiltiy Visibility Project home page.

ADA.gov

Information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Screen Capture: ADA.gov home page

#NotSpecialNeeds (video)

Awareness campaign on the importance of supporting people with disabilities.

Screen Capture: Title screen from the video, #NotSpecialNeeds

It's Time to Stop Even Casually Misusing Disability Words

by Andrew Pulrang

Screen Capture: It's Time To Stop Even Casually Misusing Disability Words

View more resources...

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Phone: 1-440-570-5908
Email: info@connectingforkids.org

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30628 Detroit Rd. #252
Westlake, Ohio 44145

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