Family Support Network of WNC

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by Regina Fox
on Friday, April 24, 2009

The Family Support Network (FSN) of WNC is one of 18 other such parent-to-parent programs across North Carolina. Since March of 1998, we have provided services to families, (biological, foster, adoptive, grandparents, etc.) of children with special needs. We are employees of Mission Hospitals and staffed by five parents/professionals of children with special needs who can really relate to the families that come to us for support. We are a program within the Mission Children's Hospital, in Asheville NC. Our physical location is in the entrance of the Mission Reuter Children's Outpatient Center, which offers our Resource Center great visibility to families.

What We Do

Our first goal is to provide parent-to-parent matches. This means that we provide the opportunity for parents, who have children with the similar diagnosis or special needs, to contact one another to talk and share what they are experiencing confidentially. A parent is generally matched with a "Trained Support Parent," that has gone through a 6 hour training. The training covers listening skills, dealing with grief and loss, taking care of oneself while serving others, and knowing how to set boundaries in the new parent match.

We offer a resource library that has over 800 items that can be borrowed for 3 weeks at a time. Items include books, DVDs, and magazines that are specifically about different disabilities and diagnosis. We also have file cabinets containing articles, brochures, and pamphlets that families can take home. One of our most valuable resources is the Community Resource Guide. One of our staff can help you access information from the guide while in the library, or you can go on-line to http://www.missionhospitals.org/body_childrens.cfm?id=572, and click the Community Resources Guide link on the home page.

We also offer 9 support groups, workshops, conference opportunities and an 8 page newsletter that goes out quarterly. Through these resources, our goal is to provide support and educational opportunities to families. Childcare is provided for support groups and workshops for free. Stipends are available for conferences.

Contact the Family Support Network of WNC

11 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Asheville, North Carolina 28803
Inside the Mission Reuter Children's Outpatient Center
Phone: 828-213-0033
Toll-free: 1-888-810-2800 ext. 2
Fax: 828-213-0040
http://www.missionhospitals.org/body_childrens.cfm?id=572

FSN Sponsored and Co-sponsored Parent Groups

Latino Parent Group - Buncombe Co.
Fourth Thursday, Monthly
5:30 to 7:30 pm
West Asheville Community Center
970 Haywood Rd. Asheville, NC
Contact Alicia Martinez 828-213-0047
Food and Childcare with RSVP

Latino Parent Group - Henderson Co.
First Wednesday, Monthly
5:30 to 7:30 pm
WCCA Head Start Classroom:
20 Fickley Dr. (Off Spartanburg Hwy.),
Hendersonville, NC
Contact Alicia Martinez 828-213-0047
Food and Childcare with RSVP