young boy wearing a light collared shirt with cochlear implant looking up; father giving infant child kiss on cheek; text reads 'connecting families' with a flower image above, the petals have 4 different colors; young boy sitting in wheelchair with bright blue shirt, dark sunglasses and red hat on his head; young girl with pony tail and light pink shirt is pointing at a tablet

Connecting Families is a network of peer support for families of children and youth with special health care needs in the state of Wisconsin. In short, we help families connect with other families on a similar journey.

Wisconsin has a lot of wonderful supports available for families, but sometimes navigating these services and systems can be a challenge. The experience of having a child with special health care needs can feel lonely, scary, and overwhelming. One of the best resources we can provide is simply to connect families to one another. This helps families overcome isolation, share common experiences, build resiliency, and learn from one another.

While family peer support may at times involve one-to-one connections, our main focus is on creating innovative group supports based on the needs and interests of families. We currently host several groups specifically for families in southern Wisconsin.

Connecting Families also works alongside our community partners to ensure that no family gets lost or falls through the cracks. As part of this peer support network, we provide training, coaching, and encouragement to both families and professionals across the state. This includes an ongoing learning community for our peer support partners to learn, grow, share resources, and feel supported as they in turn support others.

Groups

There are no upcoming events.

“This filled a gap that often exists for families – connection, community, and access to support. Thanks for your dedication and for creating something truly impactful for families like mine.”

Quote shared with permission from family

Growing Our Network

Connecting Families is building a network of peer support led by individuals with lived experience.
Have you identified an unmet need in your community?
We'd love to talk to you! Please reach out.

picture of a family outdoors with a mom with blonde hair, blue-rimmed glasses and navy short sleeve shirt is smiling and has her arm around her son, also smiling, with light hair wearing a light tee-shirt and has his arm around his mom while the dad with gray hair, also wearing a navy blue shirt, looks at them smiling