Support for families with children with special needs

Friday, Mar. 20, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — Almost 10 years ago, when Dr. Wendy L. Hobson-Rohrer, a professor in the Division of General Pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine, worked with underserved women and children at the South Main Clinic, she noticed something that concerned her.  

“She saw that there were a lot of special needs kids in the Hispanic families at the clinic, so she requested a grant,” said  Esperanza Arias, a bilingual outreach worker (promotora) at Holy Cross Ministries.

After the grant was approved, Hobson-Rohrer solicited the support of the promotoras at Holy Cross Ministries, and “Special Kids, Strong Families” (Niños Especiales, Familias Fuertes) was born. This bilingual program offers information, classes and support groups for parents of children with special needs. 

“This support is so the parents of special needs kids know that they are not alone, they are not by themselves; there are resources that they can use,” said Arias. 

“Due to different barriers such as the language, the lack of health insurance, the documents, there are a lot of barriers … but despite all of them there are resources,” said Arias, adding that sometimes parents get overwhelmed when their child is diagnosed with special needs. 

The program also works in collaboration with URLEND from the University of Utah.

The URLEND (Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) training program covers five states: Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota. 

“Since we were already in contact with Utah State University, they offered another grant to Holy Cross Ministries because they saw the work that we did with the families,” said Lourdes Avila, also a promotora who works with special-needs families.

Through URLEND, many professionals offer presentations, Avila said. “We have psychologists, professional therapists, and we have a translator.”

Every month three classes are offered in English and in Spanish, and a translator is always on hand, Arias said.

Arias and Avila also help people with emotional and spiritual support. Avila herself is a mother of a child with autism.

“This program for me – I already went through all of what many mothers are living,” she said. “The connection that is established when a mother approaches us crying because she has the diagnosis of their kid, that connection that is between [mothers with special needs children] is immediate and it is very strong,” said Avila.

“It is not just a special child, it is a special family, and when the special child starts to go forward all the family goes forward,” added Avila.

The group is very welcoming, Arias said. “This group is not exclusive, it is inclusive. Every special need is welcome,” said Arias. 

The next workshop, “How to Handle Stress,” will be March 24 at 10 a.m.

For information, contact Lourdes Avila, 801-581-2067, or Esperanza Arias, 801-581-2068.

Special Kids, Strong Families is located in the South Main Clinic office, 3690 S. Main Street, SLC.