Resources
Crisis lines, advocacy help, financial support, and plain-language terms — all in one place.
Crisis support
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US)
Call or text 988
24/7 mental-health crisis support.
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 (US/CA/UK/IE)
Free, 24/7.
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
Call 1-800-422-4453
24/7 — for any concerns about child safety.
Disaster Distress Helpline
Call or text 1-800-985-5990
24/7 — for natural or human-caused disaster distress.
Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth)
Call 1-866-488-7386 · Text START to 678-678
24/7 crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people.
Emergency
911 (US) or local emergency number
If anyone is in immediate physical danger.
Know your rights · school advocacy
You don't need to be a lawyer. These groups translate the rules into plain English.
Wrightslaw
Special-education law, IEP rights, and how to advocate at school meetings.
Center for Parent Information & Resources
Find your state's free Parent Training & Information (PTI) Center.
COPAA
Council of Parent Attorneys & Advocates — find a special-ed advocate or attorney.
Understood.org
Plain-language guides for learning and thinking differences.
Indiana-specific help
Bright Steps is based in Indiana. These are the free state programs we send Hoosier families to first.
First Steps (Indiana early intervention, birth–age 3)
Free developmental evaluation. In-home services on a sliding fee scale. Call 1-800-441-7837.
INSOURCE — Indiana Parent Training & Info Center
Free 1-on-1 help understanding evaluations, IEPs, 504s, and your rights. 1-800-332-4433.
Indiana Article 7 (special-ed rules)
Indiana's special-ed law — eligibility runs through your child's 22nd birthday.
Indiana Medicaid Waivers (PathWays, Health & Wellness, CIH, FSW)
Funds respite, therapy, and in-home support for kids with disabilities. Apply through DDRS.
Indiana Disability Rights
Free legal advocacy if school or providers are violating your child's rights. 1-800-622-4845.
About Special Kids (ASK)
Indiana parent-to-parent peer support, free, statewide. 1-800-964-4746.
211 Indiana
Dial 211 — local respite, food, utilities, childcare help anywhere in Indiana.
Indiana Family to Family Health Info Center
Free help navigating insurance, Medicaid, and complex medical needs.
Therapy & professional help
Find a provider, or vetted reading while you wait for an appointment.
Child Mind Institute
Free family resources on anxiety, ADHD, autism, and behavior.
AAP HealthyChildren
Pediatrician-vetted guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
SAMHSA Treatment Locator
Find local mental-health and substance-use services.
Psychology Today — Therapist Finder
Filter by insurance, specialty, and child/teen experience.
Parent & disability community
You are not the first parent on this road. These communities walk with you.
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
Autistic-led perspectives — listen to autistic adults to better support your child.
The Arc
Local chapters for families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
CHADD (ADHD)
Support, parent training, and local chapters for ADHD families.
Sibling Support Project
Resources for siblings of kids with disabilities.
Financial help & benefits
Disability care is expensive. These programs exist for your family — use them.
Medicaid Waivers (HCBS)
State waivers can fund respite, therapy, and in-home support — search your state.
SSI for Children
Supplemental Security Income for children with disabilities in low-income families.
ABLE Accounts
Tax-advantaged savings without losing benefits eligibility.
United Way 211
Dial 211 for local help: food, housing, utilities, childcare, respite.
Books & deeper learning
When you're ready to learn more, start here.
PACER Center
Free workshops and IEP coaching for parents.
Books: 'The Explosive Child' by Ross Greene
Collaborative Problem Solving — free tools at Lives in the Balance.
Books: 'Uniquely Human' by Barry Prizant
A respectful, strengths-based way of understanding autism.
Low Demand Parenting (Amanda Diekman)
Practical low-demand approaches for PDA and burned-out kids.
Take care of yourself too
Respite care
A break is not a luxury — it's maintenance. Indiana families: ask DDRS about a Medicaid waiver, contact ASK at 1-800-964-4746, or dial 211 for local respite options.
Parent burnout is real
If you feel numb, resentful, or like you're running on empty — that's a signal, not a failure. Talk to your doctor or a therapist.
Plain-language glossary
- IEP
- Individualized Education Program — a legal plan for special-ed services in US public schools.
- 504 Plan
- Accommodations plan for students with disabilities in regular classrooms.
- FBA
- Functional Behavior Assessment — a school evaluation to understand why a behavior happens.
- BIP
- Behavior Intervention Plan — a written plan to support a child's behavior at school.
- OT
- Occupational Therapy — helps with sensory, motor, and daily-living skills.
- SLP / Speech
- Speech-Language Pathologist — helps with communication and feeding.
- ABA
- Applied Behavior Analysis — a therapy approach; ask about modern, child-led, trauma-informed practice.
- Stimming
- Self-stimulating behavior (rocking, flapping, humming) — often calming or expressive. Usually fine.
- Meltdown
- An overwhelmed nervous-system response — not a tantrum. Can't be 'corrected' in the moment.
- Shutdown
- When a child goes quiet, still, or withdrawn under overwhelm — also not defiance.
- Co-regulation
- Calming alongside your child — your calm body helps theirs find calm.
- PDA
- Pathological Demand Avoidance — a profile where everyday demands feel threatening; needs low-demand approaches.
- LRE
- Least Restrictive Environment — your child's right to learn alongside peers when possible.
- Prior Written Notice
- A written explanation the school MUST give you when they propose or refuse a change to services.
A reminder: Bright Steps Behavior Transformation Support is educational, emotional, and navigation support. It is not medical, therapy, or legal advice. For diagnosis or treatment decisions, please work with qualified professionals who know your child. External links are provided as starting points — we don't control their content.