Gracie is a bright and beautiful 4-year-old girl that is likely using her charm to hide a multitude of hidden plans to take over the world. She lives with her parents and 3 of her siblings in a small rural town in north-central Indiana. Her mother, Sara, has worked in social services for about 15 … Continue reading “Gracie’s Story: When a Diagnosis is Elusive, so are Services and Supports”
Updated January 12, 2023 Advocacy Links offers Child Mental Health Wraparound Support Services in northern Indiana to both CMHI (Children’s Mental Health Initiative) and CMHW (Children’s Mental Health Wraparound) eligible youth. Children’s Mental Health Wraparound Support provides resources, support, and guidance to children, youth, and their families/caregivers in difficult situations. Wraparound brings together a committed … Continue reading “Child Mental Health Wraparound Support”
Despite the strides and awareness that have been brought to mental health issues over the years, stigma still exists. We live in an era that is often blind to misinformation and focused on projecting images of positivity. For people who are struggling with mental health concerns, openly discussing their challenges can easily lead to unsolicited … Continue reading “Mental Health: Holding Space, Children, and Resources”
Seeking an Autism diagnosis for your child can be overwhelming. Getting a diagnosis can be a long and complicated process for parents between the initial identification of symptoms, voicing their suspicions to medical professionals, and then finding the right services and supports. Often parents find themselves navigating new services to find the right supports for … Continue reading “Evelyn’s Story: Navigating a New Autism Diagnosis”
People with developmental disabilities have existed in society since the beginning of time, but they have rarely been given the opportunity to showcase their strengths and successes in conjunction with their challenges and diagnoses. The remarkable people highlighted here will show that limitation is not an inherent part of a developmental disability diagnosis. There are … Continue reading “Remarkable People with Disabilities”
Why is developmental disability awareness so important? It’s a vital step towards equity, inclusion, and representation. In this post we are taking a brief look at the long history of the mistreatment of people with disabilities BEFORE awareness and advocacy were “a thing”. WHAT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY? Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions … Continue reading “Why Developmental Disability Awareness is Important”