Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)

The SPAN Parent Advocacy Network is an independent 501(c)3 organization committed to empowering families as advocates and partners in improving education, health, and mental health outcomes for infants, toddlers, children and youth.  SPAN is a “first stop” for New Jersey families.  SPAN is New Jersey’s  Parent Training and Information Center; Family to Family Health Information Center; Family Voices State Affiliate Organization; Parent to Parent USA affiliate; and a chapter of the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health.

Our vision is that all families will have the resources and support they need to ensure that their children become fully participating and contributing members of our communities and society.  Our mission is to empower and support families and inform and involve professionals interested in the healthy development and education of children and youth.  Our foremost commitment is to children and families with the greatest need due to disability or special health/mental health needs; poverty; discrimination based on race, sex, language, immigrant or homeless status; involvement in the foster care, child welfare, or juvenile justice systems; geographic location; or other special circumstances.  Our motto is, “Empowered Parents: Educated, Engaged, Effective!”

We also share our expertise in serving families and youth with parent-led organizations across the U.S. and territories through four (4) technical assistance centers.  These Centers, the national Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR), the Northeast Parent Center Assistance and Collaboration Team (Region 1 Parent Technical Assistance Center), the National RAISE Center and the regional REACH for Transition, are dedicated to building the capacity of the almost 100 Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education to improve the outcomes for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities through information, training and support for their families and partnerships for systemic improvement.

SPAN offers families, professionals, policy makers and our parent center colleagues information, resources, support and advocacy assistance addressing:  effective parent involvement, child care, general and special education, dropout and bullying prevention, child welfare, health care, mental health, youth leadership, transition to adult life, incarcerated youth, military family support, violence prevention & more.

We can help you:
Know your rights.
Advocate for children and families.
Secure appropriate services.
Keep children in school.
Navigate education, health, mental health systems.
Prepare for life after high school.
Connect with other parents who understand
Start a parent group
Become an effective partner in improving our schools.
Be a catalyst to improve services for children and families.
Access resources and information.
Our Individual Assistance, Training and Support Programs
Autism Medical Home
Building Bridges to Success: Parent Training and Information Center
Center on Youth Voice/Youth Choice
Genetic Alliance on the National Genetics Information and Family Support Center
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Mentoring and Family Engagement
Education and Health Rights of Children and Youth in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems
Essex County Family Council & Grandparents As Caregivers
Family to Family Health Information Center
Family WRAP
Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health State Affiliate Organization
LEND Family Mentor
Military Family 360 Support Project
National Center on Educational Outcomes Collaboration
National Healthcare Transition Resource Center for Youth with Intellectual/ Developmental Disabilities
New Jersey Inclusive Higher Education Collaborative
NJ Inclusive Child Care Project
New Jersey Integrated Care for Kids (NJ InCK)
NJ Statewide Parent to Parent
Special Education Volunteer Advocates (SEVA)
Youth in the Know

Our Affliated Networks

CPIR

The Center for Parent Information and Resources is a central “Hub” of information and products created for the network of Parent Centers serving families of children with disabilities

RAISE

In 2014, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), a parent-led and family-centered non-profit parent training and information center (PTI), was funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to provide support to individuals with disabilities through the transition from secondary school and into competitive employment and independent living.

Family Voices

National Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities.

WHAT IS THE CPIR?

Your central “Hub” of information and products created for the network of Parent Centers serving families of children with disabilities

All the materials found on the CPIR Hub have been created and archived for Parent Centers around the country to help them provide support and services to the families they serve. The CPIR employs a user-centered process, gathering the perspectives of our experienced audience—Parent Center staff members and other experts—every step of the way, to create products and services that increase Parent Centers’ knowledge and capacity in specific domains.

HERE ARE 10 GREAT THINGS YOU’LL FIND ON THE HUB!
What you’ll find on the Parent Center Hub:

Family-friendly information and research-based materials on key topics for Parent Centers
Private workspaces for Parent Centers to exchange resources, discuss high-priority topics, and solve mutual challenges
Coordination of parent training efforts throughout the network
A twice-monthly e-newsletter with key topics, new resources, upcoming events, and materials to share with families
Materials from Parent Centers themselves
CPIR-produced databases specifically designed for Parent Center staff:
Survey Item Databank
Who Knows What?