Who We Serve

Family Resource Navigators (“FRN”) provides free education, support and advocacy to over 2000 families each year with children or youth with disabilities or special health care needs in Alameda County. 85% of the people we work with are MediCal eligible.

Who are your typical clients?

woman standing in shadow at a information table

"I am looking to make a change."

A lot of our parents have kids who are getting basic services like an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), special equipment or therapies. Many need help advocating and getting better services for their child. Families come to us when they’re looking for knowledge and strategies to improve or make changes for their families, and for other families like their own.

Mom comforts son

"I am feeling overwhelmed."

When your child has developmental issues, your anxiety can be intense. Parents reach out to us when they need help figuring out what to do. Some come from cultures that see developmental delays as shameful. Our families have many stressors: finding stable housing, figuring out benefits, worries about immigration status and more.

Man with an African drum leans down as a young child beats the drum

What kind of services do you offer?

Because parenting a child with a disability or health care need is a journey, we offer a full range of programs that help families navigate school environments, health care, benefits and more.

Connections to services kids need, like special education or medical.

Educate families about rights to know what services are available.

Coach families to effectively advocate for their children.

Provide peer support in playgroups and support groups.

Change systems through parent leadership and policymaking.

I was extremely pleased with the help I received from FRN. Being new to California and having had easy to navigate and comprehensive services from another state, the system here was overwhelmingly confusing to us. We are forever grateful to FRN for their clear and effective guidance to get the services we needed.

- Parent at FRN

What makes you unique?

From our warm-line to intensive family navigation services, we are connecting families to services and helping them make lasting changes in their community.

Service dog meeting young children

Warm-line and drop-in

Call or drop by to get help, ask questions, fill out confusing forms, or address problems with services.

Image of parent leaders talking to each other

Family navigation

This intensive program is designed to support: families with kids under the age of five; families with linguistic or cultural barriers; families of children who have with special health care needs.

woman at resource desk answering a question

Broad community outreach

Staff and volunteers organize 40+ outreach events every year to make sure families in our communities know help is available.

woman proudly walks service dog

Training parents to improve the future

We train parents to be peer leaders and advocates to change and improve systems and providing support to others in their community.

Find a training, get the support you need, or begin your path as a parent leader.