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  • Resources
    • A-C Resources
      • Assistance to the Families of Incarcerated (AFI)
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      • Caring for the Whole Person
      • Catholic Healthcare
      • Catholic Relief Services
      • Census
      • Care for Creation
    • D-G Resources
      • Death Penalty
      • Dobbs
      • Domestic Violence & Abuse
      • End of Life Care
      • Faithful Citizenship and Voting
      • Foster Care & Adoption
    • H-O Resources
      • Immigration Resources
      • Healing After Abortion
      • Homelessness & Poverty
      • Human Trafficking
      • Mass in Recognition of All Immigrants
      • Merciful Companions
      • Mental Health Ministry
      • OneLife LA
    • N-P Resources
      • Parish Leaders Resources
      • Pregnancy & Parenting Resources
      • Pregnancy & Infant Loss
      • Pro-Life
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      • Racial Relations
      • Respect Life Month
      • Special Needs Ministry Resources
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  • Stay Connected
  • SPECIAL NEEDS MINISTRY RESOURCES

    • Sharing great resources for parish leaders who would like to begin a Special Needs Ministry to embrace, pastorally accompany, and educate children with special needs in the faith to engage in the life of the parish community more fully.








    • “Whoever receives and welcomes one child such as this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives not [only] Me, but Him who sent Me.” Matt 9:37

  • Why is this important?

    • We all know how individuals and families dealing with autism and other developmental challenges can get discouraged and isolated. They need community, hope, and support in the formation of their children from the body of Christ.

                                                                   “They come to be loved and to love each other.”

  • Archdiocese of Los Angeles Parishes
    with Special Needs ministries

    • Parish 

      Contact 

      Email 

      St. Bede the Vulnerable 

      (La Cañada Flintridge) 

      Dr. Joyce Show 

      [email protected]  

      Holy Family 

      (South Pasadena) 

      Deacon Jay Krueger 

      [email protected] 

      St. Mel’s 

      (Woodland Hills) 

      Monica Matthews 

      [email protected]  

      St. Dominic’s 

      (Los Angeles) 

      Emma Guanlao 

      [email protected]  

      St. Luke’s 

      (Temple City) 

      Trina Morrell 

      [email protected]  

      Visitation 

      (Los Angeles) 

      Debra Evans 

      [email protected]  

      St. Matthias 

      (Huntington Park) 

      Lizbeth Dumas 

      [email protected] 

      Padre Serra Parish 

      (Camarillo) 

      Teresa Runyon 

      [email protected] 

      St. Philip the Apostle 

      (Pasadena) 

      Kenneth & Joan De Souza 

      [email protected] 

      [email protected] 

      St. Elisabeth of Hungary 

      (Van Nuys) 

      Yolanda Alvarado 

      [email protected] 

       

      La Purisima Concepcion 

      (Lompoc) 

      Leticia Diaz 

      [email protected]  

      St. Joseph  

      (Carpinteria) 

      Nancy Perez 

      [email protected] 

      St. Elizabeth of Seton 

      (Rowland Heights) 

      Fe Musgrave 

      [email protected] 

      Immaculate Conception 

      (Monrovia) 

      Rosa Carillo 

      [email protected] 

      St. Catherine Laboure 

      (Torrance) 

      Angela Martinez-Morvice 

      [email protected] 

      St. Joseph 

      (La Puente) 

      Beatriz Vargas 

      [email protected]  

      St. Joseph 

      (Hawthorne) 

      Luz Maria Salgado 

      [email protected]  

      Guardian Angel 

      (Pacoima) 

      Maria Razo 

      [email protected]  

      St. Mary’s 

      (Palmdale) 

      Astrid Gasca 

       

      agascasaintmarys-ave.org     

      St. John Baptist De La Salle 

      (Granada Hills) 

      Sandy Cole 

      [email protected]  

      Holy Family 

      (Wilmington) 

      Veronica Ibarra 

      [email protected] 

      St. Mariana 

      (Pico Rivera) 

      Maria Garcia 

      [email protected]  

       

      Holy Family 

      (Artesia) 

      Teresa Paulino 

      [email protected]  

      St. Dominic Savio 

      (Bellflower) 

      Sr. Cynthia Salas, FMA 

      [email protected]    

      St. Clare of Assisi 

      (Santa Clarita) 

       

      Nancy Nazarian - Medina 

      [email protected]  

      St. Louise de Marillac 

      (Covina) 

      Ivonne Melendrez 

      [email protected]  

      St. Agatha 

      (Los Angeles) 

      Teresa Amezcua 

      [email protected] 

      St. John Vianney 

      (Hacienda Heights) 

      Becky Cerda 

      [email protected]  

      All Souls 

      (Alhambra) 

      Patricia Magallanes 

      [email protected]  

      St. John Neumann 

      (Santa Maria) 

      Aranza Garcia 

      [email protected]  

      Our Lady of Grace 

      (Encino) 

      Michelle Roberson 

      Jesse Rodriguez 

      [email protected] 

      [email protected]  

      St. Louis of France 

      (La Puente) 

      Dolores Lazcano 

      [email protected]  

      St. Marcellinus 

      (Commerce) 

      Mary Ruiz 

      Alejandra Duarte 

      [email protected]  

      [email protected]  

       

      Mission San Gabriel 

      Connie Perez 

      [email protected] 

      St. Anthony’s 

      (Gardena) 

      Nely Tingting Go 

      [email protected]  

      St. Jude the Apostle 

      (Westlake Village) 

      Cindy Kozal 

      [email protected]  

  • SPECIAL NEEDS MINISTRY RESOURCES

    • USCCB- Pastoral Statement and Framework of Access and Inclusion
      • In 1978 a Statement of the United States Catholic Bishops was issued calling for inclusion of persons with disabilities in the life of the Church and community. In 1982, the National Catholic Office for Persons with Disabilities, now the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, was established to promote this ministry. In 1995 the commitment was strengthened with the passage of the Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities. 
         
        • USCCB Pastoral Statement of U.S. Catholic Bishops on Persons with Disabilities
        • Welcome & Justice for Persons with Disabilities: A Framework of Access and Inclusion
        • Guidelines for the Celebration of the Sacraments with Persons with Disabilities (Revised Edition)
        • https://www.usccb.org/resources/pastoral-statement-persons-disabilities



    • Inclusion & Educational Ideas
        • Making Mass and the other sacraments more accessible
        • Educating parishioners about how to engage
        • Inviting volunteers to share their gifts in creating activities
        • Fellowship opportunities for parents
        • Faith formation: inclusion PREP, family catechism
        • Reserved seating next to exits
        • Broadcasting to outdoor areas, Narthex/lobby, sensory rooms, school playground and making folding chairs available with signage
        • Livestreaming if families need to listen at home or take a break in the car
        • Multiple options, if possible, for different sensory profiles
        • Assigning a Eucharistic minister to cover these areas
        • Inviting families to tour/visit before attending Mass to frontload familiarity with the church environment, symbols, and holy water
        • Providing coloring pages or worksheets for children
        • Loaning flip cards or sturdy children’s books for use during Mass (Ascension Press, Holyheroes.com)
        • Gluten-free hosts as an option for Communion Link: https://altarbreadsbspa.com/ 
        • How to create modified curriculums and incorporate layered teaching/programming and accommodations
        • Ideas to organize, train, and recruit peer buddies/ big sister/big brother aides, and incorporate parent and parishioner aides
        • Escape hatches to outdoor enclosures or sensory rooms
        • Make brochures available in the narthex/lobby on how to engage with families with special needs
        • Include short articles on mental health and developmental disorders in the bulletin
        • Humorous and heroic stories abound that pastors might anonymously use in their homilies
        • Share their artwork and poetry in the narthex and bulletin, invite them to sing or perform as part of the liturgy or Christmas/Easter celebrations
    • National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD)
      • Mission Statement

        Following the example of Jesus, The National Catholic Partnership on Disability works with dioceses, parishes, ministers, and laity to promote the full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in the life of the Church.

        NCPD promotes this ever-evolving mission to renovate and sustain ministry to-and-with all people with disabilities and their families through the following initiatives:

        1.     Leads and participates in trainings, workshops, and regional meetings

        2.     Gathers and Develops Resources

        3.     Participates in International Ecclesial Conferences

         

        To Learn More, Visit: https://ncpd.org/ 


         

    • Special Needs Helper Network
      • The following network of experienced Special Needs Ministers/Leaders are here for you if you have any questions to start, expand, or enrich your Ministry: 

        Dr. Joyce Show

        Internal medicine for Individuals >18 yo with developmental disabilities and their caregivers & Peer life coaching for parent-child dyads with special needs

        [email protected]

        818-790-7611 Internal medicine for Individuals >18 yo with developmental disabilities and their caregivers: www.joyceshow.wordpress.com 818-790-7611

        Peer life coaching for parent-child dyads with special needs (regional center vendored): honoreveryvoicelifecoaching.com  
         

        Nancy Brady

        Inclusion Specialist and Assistive Technology Specialist for non-speaking autism

        [email protected] 

        (949) 412-0502

         

        Maria Nagy

        Sacred Heart Parish (Coordinator, San Diego)

        Coordinator Open Hearts Ministry

        [email protected] 

        (703) 203-5668

         

        Andrea West

        Diocese of Orange-Chair Special Education Ministry

        [email protected]

        (714) 920-4214

         

        Julie Gomez

        St. Luke Parishioner/Kyo Resources

        [email protected] 

        (626) 601-7849

         

        Cecilia Chang

        Spectrum of Hope Foundation

        [email protected]

         

        Sandi Ames

        CAN (Collaborate/Advocacy/Navigator) Child Advocate/Parent Mentor

        [email protected] 

         

    • LEARN Behavioral-Navigating an IEP
      • A significant part of a child’s development will be determined by their school environment, academic placement, and the academic curriculum that guides their learning. A child’s initial Individual Education Plan (IEP) is critical. This important document will lay the groundwork for the types and level of services that a child will receive throughout their academic years. It is essential that parents put sufficient time and effort into preparing for their first and subsequent IEP meetings.

         

        Click below to see important steps and guidelines that can help you prepare for your first IEP:

        https://learnbehavioral.com/blog/10-tips-for-navigating-the-ieps


    • The Autism Community in Action (TACA)
      • TACA provides education, support, and hope to families living with autism. TACA provides the following:

        Virtual Support & Education Events: TACA offers monthly virtual parent support and family panel meetings where parents can connect with other autism parents from their home computer or mobile phone.

        Parent Mentorship: For more individualized support, parents can be matched with an experienced and supported TACA Parent Mentor to help guide them on the autism journey. TACA Parent Mentors are seasoned autism parents who offer one-on-one support and information about autism-related topics, including; biomedical treatments, dietary intervention, insurance, IEP, therapies, and more.

        Hope & Help for Autism Private Group: TACA’s private Facebook Group (TACA – Help and Hope for Autism) is a well-moderated group for parents/caregivers of an individual with autism. This large national group allows parents to ask questions anytime. We share resources across the spectrum of ability and age to support a community as we move through the autism journey. It’s a great place to find resources, support, help, and hope.

        Resources: TACA provides in-depth, comprehensive information and resources to help parents navigate all aspects of the autism journey, including obtaining a diagnosis, developing skills, medical issues, special education/IEPs, diet, preparing for adulthood, and more.


                                                                   TACA offers much more, please visit: https://tacanow.org/ 


         

         

    • Collaborate, Advocate, Navigate (CAN)
      • Collaborate/Advocate/Navigate (CAN) is an umbrella for three programs that are designed to provide education and training opportunities, resource coordination, and support to individuals with disabilities, their families, educators, therapists, and the community at large.

        The mission is to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to education, recreation, employment, and community integration in the least restrictive environment possible.

        This wrap-around approach increases the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to achieve self-determination, integration, and inclusion in all areas of community life through access to information, training, and support for all stakeholders.


                                                        To Learn More, Visit: http://collaborateadvocatenavigate.org/ 

         

    • Spectrum of Hope Foundation
      • The mission is to promote the importance of early diagnosis and intervention for children on the autism spectrum. We provide 1:1 mentoring for accessing services as well as advocacy grants. 

        www.spectrumhope.org 

    • Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
      • COPAA’s mission is to protect and enforce the legal and civil rights of students with disabilities and their families. Our primary goal is to empower marginalized community members to secure high quality educational services and to promote excellence in advocacy.

        https://www.copaa.org/ 

    • Paz Naz Oasis Special Needs Ministry
      • For teens & adults with special needs, Oasis Bible Study meets Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 pm in Room 115. It is a night of fun and fellowship! Together we eat snacks, share praises and happy news, worship, hear on-topic bible lessons, read scripture, share prayer requests, and pray. Come get to know and follow Jesus better.

         

        Contact:
        Gretchen Moss, Special Needs Coordinator

        Email: [email protected] 
        Tel: 213.570.2901

        https://www.paznaz.org/english-worship/special-needs/ 

         

    • NOURISH for Caregivers
      • Filling a gap in ministries of priority. 

        The Nourish for Caregivers curriculum spans the concerns and priorities most needed--right now--in our churches, including:

        •     pastoral care

        •     disabilities services

        •     senior ministries

        •     care for Alzheimer's and dementia

         

        Nourish for Caregivers is a turn-key, lay-led ministry to support and empower caregivers at the parish level. Nourish provides the tools to minister based on the tenants of our Catholic Faith. 

        With its proven curriculum, Nourish for Caregivers compliments and extends the ministry priorities with resources and outreaches to families in your Diocese. 

         

        To Learn More Visit: https://nourishforcaregivers.com/

         

    • Kyo
      • Kyo is a child-centric ABA therapy provider with a mission to provide high-quality, effective, and convenient ABA therapy services to families of children with autism.

         https://kyocare.com/




         

    • Family Voices
      • Family Voices is a national organization and grassroots network of families and friends of children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities that promotes partnership with families–including those of cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity—in order to improve healthcare services and policies for children.

        https://familyvoices.org/

    • College Living Experience (CLE)
      • College Living Experience (CLE) is the industry’s leading provider of post-secondary support, including coaching for academics, social skills, independent living, career development, and executive function for neurodivergent young adults on a college or career path.

        In the U.S., 1 in 5 children are neurodiverse. It’s common for students to struggle with cognitive strategies while trying to gain the academic knowledge they need to earn a degree or certificate at the collegiate level.

         

        https://experiencecle.com/


         

    • As we respond to challenges according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we grow in faith and love. By creating loving spaces for inclusion for special needs families, we show the truth and beauty of our belief in the inherent dignity of each individual and sanctity of life. It is our opportunity to shine the light of Christ and what it means to embrace a culture of life. What’s good for special needs is good for everyone

  • Creating Space of Inclusion to embrace and pastorally accompany special needs families at parishes

    • Dr. Joyce Show is a physician-mom of seven, the sixth being Peter, a college-student who has autism and types to communicate. She has a private practice in internal medicine devoted to serving individuals with autism and other developmental disorders and their families. She holds professional certification in development, has taught autism parent education classes in floor time, and has authored books and articles on supporting the development of children with autism. Nancy received her Master’s in Special Education from Chapman University and her certificate in Assistive Technology from Cal State Dominguez Hills. Nancy has worked as an Inclusion Specialist in South Orange County in public and parochial schools. Nancy specializes in including those with the most severe needs, especially non-speaking autism and those who use AAC to communicate.

  • Recomended Books & Programs for special need ministries

Stay Connected

Phone: (213) 637-7632 
[email protected]

 
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