Cerebral Palsy, Part Three: Other Resources
- Jennifer
- Apr 4, 2017
- 4 min read
This is the third of a three part series of cerebral palsy. The first post, available here, describes cerebral palsy. The second post discusses how music therapy can be used to treat cerebral palsy. This post, intended towards individuals who have cerebral palsy and their families, lists some online and local resources.
I realize that March (and thus Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month) is actually over-- unfortunately we've been having some technical difficulties. Also, this post ended up being a bit of a monster. But we are finally live!
Anyway, the following are some resources I've found for individuals who have cerebral palsy and their families. None of these companies or organizations is currently tied to or sponsoring Aim High Music Therapy. Also, if you know of or represent a resource that isn't listed here, please feel free to add it in the comments!
The Utah Parent Center is a nonprofit based in Salt Lake City. They offer classes, conferences, support groups, IEP coaching, and other resources for parents and guardians of children with any sort of disability. Se Hablan Español. Most of their classes are free, and all are inexpensive.
Foundations for Independence (FFI) is a private nonprofit that focuses on providing community-based independent living services for adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Services include supported living arrangements, supervised and group living, and day training programs. FFI also offers respite care for families who have children with disabilities.
“The purpose of the Council is to advocate for, and strengthen leadership skills in, individuals with disabilities and their families.” This organization works with legislature and private agencies to advocate for and improve the service system for individuals with developmental disabilities. They also offer grants to help pay for parents to receive training and education.
This online resource offers news, educational materials, and legal help for individuals who have cerebral palsy and their families.
While this organization, based in Orem, Utah, is further south than my company reaches, they are still a good resource for families with children who have special needs. In addition to support groups and education resources, United Angels regularly hosts community outings at local sports and arts events.
This organization allows parents of children with various disabilities to exchange medical supplies and other resources. The website is currently under some renovations, so not all of their online resources are currently available. However, they have a Facebook support group for parents with links on this website.
A branch of the Utah Department of Health, this organization provides newborn screening and early interventions for some disabilities. They also help families to navigate Medicaid and other sources of financial aid.
The Utah Assistive Technology Foundation provides grants and low interest loans to individuals of all ages who need adaptive technology. This includes wheelchairs, hearing aids, iPads, and augmented communication devices.
This state funded resource center helps individuals with disabilities to determine which forms of assistive technology would be most helpful, and where they can be obtained. UCAT also provides training on how to use assistive devices.
This is a volunteer organization supported by the Utah Parent Center (listed earlier). Individuals who have family members with disabilities work together to provide support groups, advocacy, and education. There are smaller groups located in many areas in Utah, so check this out even if you don't live in the Salt Lake Area. On July 10th this year they will be hosting the Celebration of Self-Determination Conference at the Red Lion Hotel in Salt Lake City-- more information about that will be upcoming on their Facebook page.
Utah Dance Artists is a dance studio located right here in South Jordan, Utah. In addition to their regular dance classes, they offer a special needs (and wheelchair friendly) dance class as well as a movement therapy group.
Art Access provides inclusive art programming (including visual arts, theatre, and recitals) for individuals who have disabilities or other circumstances that could typically limit access to art. Currently they also have a book club centered on books discussing various disabilities.
Best Buddies is an International Organization which seeks to fight the isolation experienced by individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. They provide friendships, inclusive employment opportunities, and leadership training. Best Buddies also helps individuals with disabilities improve self advocacy skills.
Hand in Hand Outdoors is a Nonprofit organization which provides opportunities to participate in outdoor activities such as camping, fishing, and hunting to veterans and children with disabilities.
U-Fit is a family-centered exercise program for children with disabilities and special needs. The program is part of the University of Utah College of Health and are held on the U of U campus. One on one assistance is provided for children with disabilities, and, if requested, for participating siblings.
The Miracle League is an adaptive baseball program based in Midvale, Utah. Children ages 3-22 of all ability levels are welcome. The field is wheelchair accessible.
The Mighty is a support website for individuals who have disabilities, illness, or mental disorders. Just about every disability in existence has a feed, in which you can find articles, news, videos, and partner websites.
The Cerebral Palsy Foundation does research on how to improve the lives of individuals with cerebral palsy. Recently they've gained attention for an app they've created: The CPF Challenge. The CPF Challenge is an exercise app that includes modified workouts for individuals who use wheelchairs. The app includes workout videos featuring athletes who have cerebral palsy.
Phew! That's quite a list, and I'm sure that more resources will be brought to my attention in the future. But for now, this is the end of this blog post series on Cerebral Palsy. If you stuck with us all the way to the end, thank you for reading! As always, please feel free to write in any questions or comments.
So what's next? Well, April is Autism Awareness Month (turns out that every month is awareness for something if you look hard enough), so I might be doing a series of posts on Autism. Before then, however, expect a guest post on music therapy and cancer treatment, and maybe a few other odds and ends.
See you soon!
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