General Adoption Links
- North American Council on Adoptable Children
- Provides articles and information on post adoption resources for adoptive families.
- The National Adoption Center
- For children ages eight to 12, designed for children whose lives have been touched by adoptions.
- The Center for Adoption Support and Education
- Provides information for kids, teens, parents, birth parents, educators and professionals.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare Information Gateway
- Connects child welfare and related professionals to comprehensive information and resources to help protect children and strengthen families. Visit often for the latest on a wide range of topics from prevention to permanency, including child welfare, child abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau
- Provides information about adoption.
- Sacramento County Ombudsman
- Information about ombudsman services.
- Sacramento County Adoption
- Sacramento County is a licensed adoption agency.
- The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute
- Provides information for adoptive parents and professionals identifies information on adoption for the adoption community.
- The Pact, an Adoption Alliance
- Founded by adoptive parents as an adoption resource site.
- Tapestry Books
- A publishing house website specializing in books on all aspects of the adoption experience. Browse the book summaries.
- Voices of Adoption
- Provides a forum for discussions about adoption as well as much good information. In particular, the "Borderlands" section has special emphasis on Transracial adoptions.
- Rainbow Kids
- Provides adoption information, international adoptions, special needs adoptions, adoption articles and waiting child photolistings.
ADD/ADHD
- CHADD
- Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders (CHADD)
- Shari Landes' Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Reference List
- Guide to of useful links.
- Christian ADHD.com
- Christian perspective and approach to handling problems arising with this disorder.
- ADD Action Group
- A collection of articles on alternate treatments and other aspects off ADD/ADHD.
- ADDitude
- An on-line magazine for people with ADD.
Autism
- Asperger Syndrome Coalition of the U.S
- A national nonprofit organization committed to providing the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on Asperger Syndrome and related conditions.
- The Autism Society of America
- Provides a great source of information and help.
- The Autism Network International
- A self help group run by and for autistic individuals.
- The Autism Research Institute
- A non-profit organization which researches autism and disseminates information on diagnosis, treatment and prevention.
- Autism Resources
- Provides a a list of available California resources and contacts.
- MDjunction.com
- There is an excellent online support group for parents and kids.
Cerebral Palsy
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders
- Provides information on diagnosis and treatment as well as links to other resources.
- The American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine
- A good place to start researching Cerebral Palsy issues.
Community Family Resources
- Wind Youth Services
- Works with youth experiencing homelessness, helping them find safety from the streets and giving them access to resources to help them move from crisis to health, functioning and independent lives
- Call 2-1-1 Sacramento
- Information about programs and community services for families in Sacramento
- Sacramento Community Family Resources
- Central listing of family resources in Sacramento.
- Challenge Sports
- Sports for school aged kids with special needs. For information call: (916) 554-0889.
- Warrior's Soul Inc.
- Equine Guided Education.
Disabilities - General
- Family Village
- A global community that integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the Internet for persons with mental retardation and other disabilities.
- The Post Adoptive Resource Project
- Offers support for families who have adopted children with emotional/behavioral disabilities
- Kid's Together
- Designed to provide helpful information and resources to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities.
- The Disablilities Law Project
- Aimed at advancing the civil rights of persons with disabilities.
- Alta Regional Center
- An agency dedicated to providing support, resources and intervention to children and adults with significant disabilities.
Education
- The Special Ed Advocacy Library
- Provides articles and advice on hoe best to get your child the education they need.
- Wrightslaw
- A site providing pages of legal resources for parents and professionals with special education issues to resolve.
- Sacramento County Office of Education
- Has a site that offers parent resources and school accountability report cards as well as listings of programs and services offered throughout the county
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- The FAS Community Resource Center
- Provides information on the diagnosis, treatment and parenting of children with FAS/FAE.
- The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- A national organization focusing solely on FAS.
For Children
- The National Adoption Center's - AdoptionClubHouse
- The National Adoption Center provides an exciting web site specifically for adopted children between 8 and 13, their parents and others interested in knowing what's on the mind of young adoptees.
Fragile X Syndrome
- The National Fragile X Foundation
- Provides a lot of information and resources concerning the most common cause of inherited mental impairment.
- The National Fragile X Research Foundation
- This website will keep you informed of the latest research into this disorder.
Legal
- The Adoption LawSite
- Aims to deliver a single online resource where prospective adoptive parents, biological parents, adoption and child welfare lawyers, juvenile and family court judges and child advocates of all kinds can turn to for child welfare and adoption law information.
- Area Board 3
- An advocacy organization providing education, support and advocacy to people with disabilities
- The Juvenile Law Center
- A non-profit, public interest law firm which advances the rights and well being of children in jeopardy. They work for the reform and coordination of the child welfare, juvenile justice and public health care systems in their delivery of services to children.
- Disability Rights California
- Is dedicated to providing free advocacy and legal assistance to California residents with disabilities.
- The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
- An organization of attorneys, advocates and parents established to improve the quality and quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities.
Learning Disabilities
- LDonline
- An interactive guide to learning disabilities for parents, teachers and children
- The Learning Disability Association
- The largest non-profit volunteer organization advocating for individuals with learning disabilities
- The Parenthood Web
- A quick guide to symptoms and solutions.
- Parents and Educators Resource Center
- Offers a comprehensive set of resource links categorized by specific learning difference.
- The Schwab Foundation
- Offers support for families with a learning disability as well as resources for professionals.
- Apraxia-Kids
- Claims to be the Internet's most comprehensive site for information on developmental apraxia of speech (verbal dyspraxia).
- Math-and-reading-help-for-kids.org
- Provides a growing directory of education related articles
Medical
- Web_MD
- Another good general medical reference site with an excellent guide to medications.
- Dr C. Everett Koop former US Surgeon General
- A comprehensive site offering medical news along with drug and disease references.
- The Warmline Family Resource Centers
- Dedicated to providing support to families with children with special medical needs
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders
- Maintains databases that may help you find help for an unusual problem.
- The Mayo Clinic
- Another great source for medical information
Mental Health
- The National Institute of Mental Health
- A comprehensive guide with diagnosis, case studies and medication advice.
- The Health Gazette
- An excellent resource for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
- Internet Mental Health
- Guide to symptoms, treatment & resources
- The Mental Health America Sacramento, CA (MHA )
- A nonprofit citizen's organization that develops, supports and promotes innovative education and advocacy programs.
- The Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
- A national parent-run organization focused on the needs of children and youth with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders and their families.
- Sacramento County Mental Health Crisis Intervention
- Offers information on the services provided.
- Sacramento County Mental Health Services
- Offers information on the services provided.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Mental Health
- Offers good technical descriptions of the symptoms, causes and treatments of this disorder.
Parenting and Adoption Training
- Foster Parent College
- Offers on-line training for foster, adoptive, kinship, and birth parents. These interactive courses provide valuable information, insights and advice from experts on dealing with challenges faced by foster parents.
Reactive Attachment Disorder
- Attach
- Website has a growing list of parents and professionals interested in attachment and bonding issues.
- Attachment Disorder Site
- Website offers articles and information.
- Attachment.Adoption.com
- A large site with many pertinent articles.
- Institute for Attachment and Child Development
- Pioneers in the treatment of attachment disorder they are committed to transforming the lives of children with attachment disorder and their families.
- The Attachment Disorder Support Group
- Offers real time on line networking and support.
- A Reactive Attachment Disorder Primer
- Provides a comprehensive self-guided tour through many facets of this dicorder.
- Theraplay
- Has short-term, therapist-directed play therapy for children and their parents.
- Dr. Martha G. Welch
- One of a very limited number of medical doctors in the United States who specialize in Reactive Attachment Disorder.
- Center for Family Development
- Provides articles and research.
- Heal the Hearts Foundation
- Promotes the education and understanding of Reactive Attachment Disorder.
- Families By Design
- Nancy Thomas' site featuring books, articles, and helpful tips.
- Attach-China
- Website is devoted to educating parents of children adopted from China about Reactive Attachment Disorder.
- The Little Prince
- A nice site run by a RAD parent. It has great poetry as well as advice.
- RadKid
- A well-presented and informative site put together by a paramedic who has been personally touched by this disorder.
Search and Reunion
- Searchforbirthfamily.com
- Offers a birth parent and adoptee registry search service
Special Needs Adoption
- The National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoptions (better known as Spaulding for Children)
- Provides training and support services for everyone involved with special needs adoption.
- Adoption.com
- Website has a large amount of information and articles relating to adopting an older child.
Spina Bifida
- Children with Spina Bifida
- A resource page for parents.
- Spina Bifida Association of America
- The mission of the organization is the prevention of spina bifida and to enhance the lives of all affected.
Tourette Syndrome
- The Tourette Syndrome Association
- A national organization dedicated to providing up-to-date, accurate information about Tourette Syndrome.
Trauma
- International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
- Provides a forum for the sharing of research, clinical strategies, public policy concerns and theoretical formulations on trauma in the United States and around the world.
*Thanks to TAPLINK for their assistance with researching this information.