Family Support and Community Collaboration

Sandhills Center's Family Support and Community Collaboration programs provide assistance to families of children who are experiencing emotional, learning or behavioral health challenges. Through these programs, Family Support Advocates empower and educate families and professionals to access the knowledge, training and treatment options they need within the Sandhills Center catchment area. Family Support Advocates are knowledgeable about the services and supports available within their particular geographic area.

The goal of the program is to provide support to children, youth and families in the areas of:

Community collaboration -- demonstrated as Family Support Advocates work with community partners to share resources and solve problems.
Advocacy -- offers families the ability to gain confidence and comfort when working with schools, local departments of social services and mental health service providers.
Support groups -- held to give parents, grandparents, caregivers and youth a chance to meet, voice their concerns and learn from each other.
Workshops -- designed to assist parents and professionals in the emotional and educational development of children and families.

Family Support and Community Collaboration programs -- which are posted to this website's Events Calendar (link below) -- are funded by Sandhills Center in partnership with North Carolina Families United Inc.

Click here to check the Events Calendar

for upcoming workshops, support groups, meetings and events

Contact a Family Support Advocate (toll-free) in your area for more information:

Anson and Richmond counties -- email Suzanne Maness or call 910-627-1769.
Moore and Hoke counties -- email Shirlyn Morrison-Sims or call 919-906-7103.
Harnett, Lee, Montgomery and Randolph counties -- email Adrian Standish or call 910-985-0126.
Guilford County -- email LaMonica Mitchell at 919-215-7153.
Davidson and Rockingham counties -- information coming soon.

FAMILY RESOURCE LIBRARY

Developed by the Sandhills Center Family Support and Community Collaboration Program 9/13/19

The Family Resource Library was developed by the Family Support and Community Collaboration Program – sponsored by Sandhills Center and NC Families United – to aid families who seek information on topics such as parenting/child development, trauma/grief, suicide signs/prevention, substance use disorder, service organizations, education and many other subject areas. This is not an exhaustive list of resources, but we hope the information will provide you with answers to questions you may have. Contact the Family Support Advocate for your county (listed above) to learn more about local resources. Please also contact a Family Support Advocate if we can provide you with printed information on anything you find in this library.

Sandhills Center:

The Sandhills Center website contains information for families, including a link that allows the user to look up providers of mental health, substance abuse, or developmental disabilities services for adults and children. There is a link that provides access to anonymous self-screenings, educational resources, and referral information in English and Spanish. There is a link to the Family Support Program that provides contact information for the Family Support Advocates, and a calendar of upcoming events.

Sandhills Center home page -- www.SandhillsCenter.org
Information for Families and Consumers -- https://www.sandhillscenter.org/for-consumers/
Access to providers of services -- https://shcextweb.sandhillscenter.org/shc_providersdirectory/
Access2Care, self-screening, information, referral -- https://www.sandhillscenter.org/about/access2care-take-a-screening-now
Family Support Advocates contact information and calendar of events -- https://www.sandhillscenter.org/calendar/
NC Families United: NC Families United is the statewide family organization that provides advocacy for children, youth and families with mental health challenges. It offers useful, practical resources and a place where parents and young adults can find links to resources in their community. The Sandhills Family Support Program is one of the programs under the umbrella of NC Families United. https://www.ncfamiliesunited.org/

Advocacy Resources:

NC Families United -- As mentioned, above, NC Families United advocates for children, youth, and families with mental health challenges. It offers useful, practical resources and a place where parents and young adults can find links to resources in their community. NC Families United and Sandhills Center work together to bring you this valuable resource. https://www.ncfamiliesunited.org/

North Carolina Collaborative for Children, Youth, and Families -- Through a System of Care framework, this statewide organization provides a forum for collaboration, advocacy and action among families, public and private agencies that serve children and families, and community partners. The organization aims to improve outcomes for all children, youth and families. It also provides technical assistance and training on System of Care practices and principles. A useful feature of this site is an interactive map that highlights information about local community collaboratives throughout North Carolina. The State Collaborative meets the second and fourth Fridays of each month. https://nccollaborative.org/

Child Advocate – Serves the needs of children, families, and professionals while addressing mental health, medical educational, legal and legislative issues. http://childadvocate.net

Children’s Advocacy Center of North Carolina -- Children’s Advocacy Centers can make a positive difference in the lives of abused children and provide advocacy by bringing the professional to the child instead of asking children and their families to access services through many different portals. https://cacnc.org/

Autism Society of North Carolina – Improves the lives of individuals with autism, advocates at local and state levels, supports families and educates communities. This site contains a number of resources on topics such as transitioning to adulthood, staying safe in school, toolkits, and a link that allows families to connect to autism specialists in every North Carolina county. https://www.autismsociety-nc.org/

NC Fetal Alcohol Prevention Program – Strives to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies by providing training, education and resources to women of childbearing age. http://www.fasdinnc.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness-North Carolina (NAMI-NC) – NAMI’s website features the latest information on mental illness, medication and treatment. It also provides resources for support and advocacy, including a link to find your local NAMI chapter. The NAMI-NC Information Helpline is 1-800-451-9682. https://naminc.org/

NC Child -- This site is primarily a policy and advocacy website. It contains county-specific Child Data Report Cards and information on advocacy initiatives in NC. https://www.ncchild.org/

Youth.gov -- This federal website supports programs and services focusing on youth. Included are youth facts and links to topics that affect youth, such as runaways, LGBTQ, gang involvement, young parenting, children of incarcerated parents, etc. The website also includes information for groups interested in working with youth, and tools to help community youth-oriented groups keep up to date on the latest youth-related news. http://youth.gov

Mental Health America (MHA) – This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the needs of people living with mental illness, and promoting the overall mental health of all Americans. MHA’s website provides information about screening tools and resources for finding help. The website also allows families to find MHA groups in their community. http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) -- Works to end drunk and drugged driving. It also supports the victims of these violent crimes, and works to prevents underage drinking. MADD’s website offers ways to take action and information about support groups. It also provides fact sheets and a Power of Parents handbook. https://www.madd.org

PFLAG – This organization was created to serve as an extended family for the LGBTQ community. They advocate for safety and equality at all levels including legislation, schools, health care, etc. Local chapters do advocacy work and have support groups that meet throughout the state. https://pflag.org/

Education:

Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) – Provides information to families on a wide variety of topics including Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), autism, bullying, social skills, learning disabilities, preschoolers, toddlers and much more. This site is particularly valuable to families with children who may need additional help at school. Families also can sign up for the ECAC newsletter. https://www.ecac-parentcenter.org/parent-training-info-center/ncs-parent-training-and-information-center-pti/

North Carolina PTA (NCPTA) -- This is North Carolina’s oldest and largest volunteer organization advocating for the education, health, safety, and success of all children and youth while building strong families and communities. Local, state and national PTA programs are offered or coordinated by the North Carolina PTA to help families and educators reach identified goals. Leaders and members can choose to participate at various levels based on the needs and interests of each PTA community. https://ncpta.org/

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction – This website includes information on a wide variety of topics including directories of state and local public schools and staff, and charter schools and staff. It also provides information about parent communication, exceptional children’s services, early education, student resources, military support, the North Carolina Governor’s School, news updates and special events. http://www.ncpublicschools.org/

Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) -- This organization has been working on LGBTQ issues in K-12 education since 1990. They provide resources and support for creating safe and affirming school environments that are free from harassment and bullying. https://www.glsen.org/

Emergency Assistance:

American Red Cross -- Provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and disaster preparedness education. https://www.redcross.org/

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- Provides emergency assistance and disaster relief including help with lodging and home repairs for families impacted by disasters. https://www.fema.gov

Legal Resources:

North Carolina Lawyer Referral Service – This service provides referrals to lawyers within your county. It also can provide information regarding other legal resources that may be available. https://www.ncbar.org/public-resources/

Legal Aid of North Carolina – This statewide nonprofit law firm provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. http://www.legalaidnc.org/

Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC) – This is the federally designated protection and advocacy agency for the state. DRNC offers resources for self-advocacy including fact sheets, guides and videos about the rights of people with disabilities. In addition they engage in strategic civil litigation, advocate for policy changes, and work to educate the public about disability rights and the disability community. https://disabilityrightsnc.org/

North Carolina Bar Association -- The NC Bar Association's website has a comprehensive list of legal aid/service providers, children's services providers, law school clinics and state agencies/other resources. https://www.ncbar.org/public-resources

Mental Health:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – This is the lead federal agency for research on mental health disorders. The NIMH his site also contains a library of information on many types of mental health issues such as anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, suicide prevention, PTSD, attention deficit disorder, and many more topics. This site provides links to free brochures and fact sheets which can be downloaded and printed. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml

ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) – ACES Too High is a news site that reports on research about adverse childhood experiences, including developments in epidemiology, neurobiology, and the biomedical and epigenetic consequences of toxic stress. It also covers how people, organizations, agencies and communities are implementing practices based on the research. This includes developments in education, juvenile justice, criminal justice, public health, medicine, mental health, social services, and cities, counties and states. This site includes information on child trauma, attachment, resilience, school discipline, child abuse prevention, early child development, etc. http://acestoohigh.com

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACP) – The AACP’s Facts for Families provides concise and up to date information on issues that affect children, teens and their families. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Layout/FFF_Guide-01.aspx

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – Provides information and publications regarding a variety of behavioral health topics such as mental illness, substance use disorders, related conditions and treatment options. https://store.samhsa.gov/issues-conditions-disorders

National Alliance on Mental Illness-North Carolina (NAMI) – NAMI’s website features the latest information on mental illness, medication and treatment. In addition, it offers resources for support and advocacy, including a link to find a local NAMI chapter. The NAMI-NC Information Helpline is 1-800-451-9682. https://naminc.org/resources/useful-links/

Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) – Strives to improve the lives of individuals with autism. The organization advocates at local and state levels, supports families and educates communities. Their website contains a number of resources on topics such as transitioning to adulthood, staying safe in school, toolkits, and a link that allows families to connect with an autism specialist in every North Carolina county. https://www.autismsociety-nc.org/

Mental Health America (MHA) – A nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of individuals living with mental illness, and promoting the overall mental health of all Americans. MHA provides information about screening tools and resources for finding help. Their website allows families to find MHA groups within their communities. http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) – Provides information, resources and networking opportunities to those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. http://add.org/

North Carolina Center for Child and Family Health (NCCTP) -- This organization works to improve the health and functioning of infants, children, adolescents and families who are coping with attachment difficulties, trauma symptoms, and significant behavioral/emotional challenges. This group certifies North Carolina therapists in various evidenced-based therapies. Their website also has a feature that allows families to find therapists in their communities who are certified in a variety of evidenced-based therapies such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), and Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS). https://www.ncchildtreatmentprogram.org/program-roster/

Parenting, Child Development and Child Health:

Youth.gov -- This federal website supports programs and services that focus on youth. Included are youth facts, links to youth topics (runaways, LGBTQ, gang involvement, young parenting, children of incarcerated parents, etc.), funding information for groups interested in working with youth, and tools to help community youth-oriented groups keep up to date on the latest, youth-related news. http://youth.gov

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) – Facts for Families provides concise and up-to-date information about issues that affect children, teens and their families. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Layout/FFF_Guide-01.aspx

North Carolina Fetal Alcohol Prevention Program (FASDinNC) – This program strives to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies by offering training, education and resources to women of childbearing age. http://www.fasdinnc.org/

Child Welfare Information Gateway – Provides helpful resource for foster families. The organizations promotes the safety, permanency and well-being of children, youth, and families by connecting child welfare (departments of social services in North Carolina), adoption and related professionals. The Child Welfare Information Gateway also connects the public to information, resources and tools that cover topics on child welfare, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more. https://www.childwelfare.gov

Adoptive Families – This website helps families get support and advice as they learn to prepare for adoption, form an attachment with their child, help friends and family understand, gain the trust of a child adopted at an older age, and instill a strong cultural identity in an adopted child. This organization also provides a wealth of resources including a newsletter, access to a library, webinars, etc. This site includes a joining fee. https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/

Center for Parent Information and Resources – Supporting the parent centers who serve families of children with disabilities. Includes links to resources regarding developmental transition issues, trauma-informed practices, webinars, events, etc. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/

KidsHealth – Information for parents, kids, teens and educators on a number of topics including nutrition, emotions, first aid, puberty, relaxation, sexual health, school and jobs for teens, sports, etc. The KidsHealth website includes a link to “Kids Health in the Classroom” for teachers. https://kidshealth.org/

Safe Child – Works to eliminate abuse and empower families. Resources are available on safety, parenting, trauma, stress, financial literacy, etc. Includes the National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD. https://safechildnc.org/

Grand Families – Resources for grandparents raising grandchildren within and outside the child welfare system. http://www.grandfamilies.org/

Triple P Online in NC -- The Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) offers advice and ideas to help parents create a positive home environment for their children. This resource is now accessible to North Carolina parents through the program’s Triple P Online and Teen Triple P Online courses. Parents and caregivers of children in North Carolina are invited to sign up and participate in Triple P online modules at their own pace. https://www.triplep-parenting.com/nc-en/triple-p/

Healthy Children by the American Academy of Pediatrics -- This website contains information about children at all stages of development. It contains free articles, videos and audio on health, teen sexuality, independence, money management, summer jobs, safety of younger children, shyness, low self-esteem, understanding temperament, handling difficult children and much more. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx

Parent Resource Center – This program tries to reduce child and adolescent substance abuse by providing information, education, consultation, technical assistance, advocacy and services. This website provides a variety of resources including information on talking to youth about substance use disorders, prescription medication misuse, the MADD organization, the Marijuana Talk Kit, a toll-free helpline, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a bullying phone app, and much more. http://www.ncparentresourcecenter.org/resources/parents/

Autism Society of North Carolina (ASNC) – This organization improves the lives of individuals with autism, advocates at local and state levels, supports families and educates communities. This website contains a number of resources on topics such as transitioning to adulthood, staying safe in school, toolkits and a link that allows a family to connect to an autism specialist in every North Carolina county. https://www/autismsociety-nc.org/

Community Impact North Carolina – This website provides resources to parents to assist them in addressing substance use disorder. It also offers information to those interested in developing community coalitions to address harm caused by substances. https://impactcarolina.org/family/

Military Child -- This website contains information to help families who have a parent in the military. There are educational topics including issues related to frequent moves and much more. https://www.militarychild.org/

Service Organizations:

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – This is the nation’s health protection agency that works 24 hours a day, seven days a week to protect America from health and safety threats – both foreign and domestic. The CDC provides resource information on violence prevention, the effects of trauma, vaccines, disease prevention, tobacco use, substance use disorder, obesity, adverse childhood experiences and much more. www.cdc.gov/

North Carolina Client Assistance Program (CAP) – Helps people with disabilities understand and access rehabilitation services. The CAP website explains the nature of the various services available from the different state agencies’ rehabilitation programs. Refers people with non-rehabilitation needs to other appropriate resources. https://cap.state.nc.us

Goodwill Industries -- Goodwill works to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity and helping people in need to reach their full potential through learning and the power of work. Their website includes a search filter that allows families to find local Goodwill chapters where they can find support, a job and educational opportunities. https://www.goodwill.org/

North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Services (NCVR) – Helps people with disabilities achieve their goals for employment and independence. There is no cost to apply or to find out if you are eligible for VR services. Services are offered statewide. Call 1-800-215-7227 for a referral. www.ncdhhs.gov/dvrs

Veterans Affairs -- This site is devoted to resources and information for military veterans and their families. https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/u-s-department-of-veterans-affairs#tpcs

Substance Use Disorder, Parenting and Prevention:

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) -- Works to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, supports the victims of these violent crimes, and prevents underage drinking. Their website provides fact sheets, information about support groups, and a "Power of Parents" handbook. It also offers suggestions about ways to take action against impaired driving. http://www.madd.org/

Lock Your Meds -- Provides resources for the Lock Your Meds Campaign and a MEDucation Kit that teaches parents lessons on the problem of substance use disorders and the solutions that are available. https://www.lockyourmeds.org/

National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) -- Supports and conducts research on the impacts that alcohol use has on health and well-being. The organization also provides publications directed to parents including Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/MakeADiff_HTML/makediff.htm

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) -- Provides a wealth of knowledge and resources for parents, including guides for preventing drug abuse and information about seeking drug treatment. www.drugabuse.gov/parents-educators

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids -- An organization working to reduce substance use disorders among adolescents by supporting families and engaging with teens. Their website provides a Parent Toolkit. http://www.drugfree.org/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – In a variety of ways, SAMHSA works to reduce the impact of substance use disorders and mental illness on America’s communities, including through their campaign to prevent underage drinking. https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you

Substance Use Disorders Support Groups and Treatment Service Locators:

Al-Anon Family -- Family and friends of problem drinkers can find understanding and support through group meetings, podcasts and other resources. http://www.al-anon.org/

Alateen – Offers peer support groups for teens who struggle with the effects of someone else’s problem drinking. https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/find-an-alateen-meeting/

Alcohol Anonymous (AA) -- The AA website can help families find AA meetings near them as well as brochures directed at young people. http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) -- The NA website can help young people find NA meetings near them, as well as resources such as brochures for young addicts and parents. http://www.na.org/

Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator -- Find treatment facilities for substance use disorder and/or mental health problems. https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

Opioid Treatment Program Directory -- Search opioid treatment programs by state. https://dpt2.samhsa.gov/treatment/directory.aspx

Sober Nation Treatment Locator -- An extensive directory of recovery centers. http://www.sobernation.com/

Suicide Prevention and Intervention:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -- The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress. It also offers prevention and crisis resources for everyone, and best practices for professionals by calling 1-800-273-8255. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – This is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP’s work encompasses advocacy and training, and offers educational material. https://afsp.org/

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) -- Works at the international, national, state and local levels to prevent suicide using a public health model in suicide prevention. SAVE concentrates its efforts on education and awareness. The website includes resources for survivors, access to depression screenings and other information about mental illness and suicide. https://save.org/

The Trevor Project – Providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people who are under age 25. Their toll-free phone number is 1-866-488-7386. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Violence, Abuse and Neglect:

Children’s Advocacy Center of North Carolina (CACNC) – Makes a positive difference in the lives of abused children, and provides advocacy by bringing the professional to the child instead of asking children and their families to access services through many different portals. https://cacnc.org/

Safe Child – Works to eliminate abuse and empower families. Resources are available on safety, parenting, trauma, stress, financial literacy and much more. Safe Child operates the National Child Abuse Hotline -- 1-800-4-A-CHILD. https://safechildnc.org/

Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina -- This website provides information about the effects of trauma, neglect and resiliency. It also offers tools to recognize physical and child sexual abuse and much more. https://www.preventchildabusenc.org/

Project No Rest – This is a statewide project to increase awareness and prevention of human trafficking. Project No Rest outlines how it affects our children and young people in North Carolina. Their website offers resources to recognize warning signs and how to intervene to help those affected. https://www.projectnorest.org/

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence – A national organization that provides a voice to victims and survivors of domestic violence. Their website includes resources for getting help and taking action. It also operates the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). http://ncadv.org/

Youth Groups:

Boys and Girls Clubs of North Carolina – This group strives to provide a safe and positive place in order to have a significant impact on children’s lives. The clubs provide an actual neighborhood-based building designed solely for youth programs and activities. The clubs are open every day after school and on weekends when kids have free time and need positive, productive outlets. The clubs have full-time, trained youth development professionals who serve as positive role models and mentors. Volunteers provide key supplementary support. The clubs reach out to kids who cannot afford, or may lack access to, other community programs. Dues are low, averaging $5 to $10 per year. https://www.ncclubs.org/

Big Brothers/Big Sisters Programs – This is the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network. Big Brothers/Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children, ages 5 through young adulthood, in communities across the country. They create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that help youth achieve their full potential. The organization’s website provides a link to help parents enroll their child in local affiliate programs. https://www.bbbs.org/

Girl Scouts of the United States of America – Girl Scouts provides a leadership experience that shows that girls learn best in an all-girl, girl-led and girl-friendly environment. Girl Scouts is a place where girls will practice different skills, explore their potential, take on leadership positions—and even feel allowed to fail, dust themselves off, get up and try again. The national website provides links for families to find Girl Scout troops near them. https://www.girlscouts.org/ Boys Scouts of America – The Boys Scouts is one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. It provides programs for young people that build character. The national website provides links so that families can find Scout troops near them. https://www.scouting.org/

4-H -- Empowers young people to lead for a lifetime. Their programs in science, healthy living and civic engagement are backed by a network of 100 public universities and a robust community of 4‑H volunteers and professionals. Through hands-on learning, kids build not only confidence, creativity and curiosity, but also life skills such as leadership and resiliency to help them thrive today and tomorrow. The national website provides links so that families can find 4-H clubs near them. https://4-h.org/

Youth MOVE – This is a youth-driven, chapter-based organization dedicated to improving services and systems that support positive growth and development. Youth MOVE utilizes the voices of individuals who have lived experience in various systems including mental health, juvenile justice, education and child welfare. The national site provides links so that youth can find chapters near them. https://youthmovenational.org/