Many Ways to Help. One Mission.

Whatever you’re facing, Families Together has a program designed to support you.

From one-on-one advocacy coaching to peer support, employment training to health information—our programs meet families where they are. Explore everything we offer below, and reach out anytime if you’re not sure where to start.

Our Programs

Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)

Your Guide to Special Education in Kansas

Since 1986, Families Together has served as Kansas’s federally designated Parent Training and Information Center. Our PTI program helps families understand special education systems, know their rights, and become true partners in their child’s education.

We can help you with:

IEP and 504 Plan development
Understanding FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education)
Navigating early intervention services
Workshops, trainings, and one-on-one assistance statewide

Free to all Kansas families of children with disabilities.

Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F)

Families make the difference!

Our Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F HIC) supports families, children, and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). We know it can be hard to find the right resources—especially when a child’s needs are ongoing or complex. That’s why our F2F team is here to listen, guide, and connect families with helpful information, tools, and support.

Our caring, knowledgeable staff can:

Share advice and practical resources
Connect parents with other families and professionals
Provide guidance on individualized health care plans
Offer education to promote the mental health and well-being of children and their families

We strive to empower families so they feel supported, informed, and never alone.

The Care Individual Needs Guide (CareING) is a tool for Kansas families of children with disabilities or special health care needs. It helps parents organize important health and education information and is available in English and Spanish. Our F2F staff can customize the guide to meet each child’s unique needs. For more information, please contact the Wichita office.

Parent-to-Parent Support

Talk to Someone Who’s Been There

Sometimes the most powerful support comes from another parent who truly understands. Our Parent-to-Parent program matches you with a trained “Support Parent”—a veteran parent who has faced similar challenges raising a child with a disability or special health care need.

What to expect:

A one-to-one match with a Support Parent who shares a similar experience
Emotional support, practical guidance, and a listening ear
Connection to a statewide network of families
Free, confidential, and available across Kansas

Support Parents are volunteers trained and matched by Families Together staff.

Education Advocate Program (EA)

Families Together is contracted by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) to coordinate the Education Advocate Program for the State of Kansas.

Education advocates are appointed for students who are in the custody of the State (Department for Children and Families [DCF] or Department of Corrections [DOC]), are homeless and unaccompanied, are receiving or may need special education services, and no longer have an available parent to make educational decisions on their behalf.

Who We Help

Trained education advocates
Community volunteers and foster parents who want to become trained education advocates
DCF contracting agencies
School personnel

What We Do

Provide free Education Advocate and Parent Rights training courses
Offer ongoing training and individualized support to education advocates serving students
Appoint education advocates for students who qualify for the program
Serve as the primary point of contact for DCF contracting agencies, foster parents, and schools regarding referrals, program questions, and challenging situations
Maintain a secure database of education advocates and the students they serve

Family Advocacy, Support, & Training (FAST)

Strengthening and Empowering Kansas Families Navigating special education and disability services can be especially stressful for families of children with severe disabilities, medical needs, or behavioral challenges. The FAST program supports families who have at least one child with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) or both an I/DD and a mental health diagnosis. Through intensive educational support, we help parents understand their rights and role in special education. Our regional Family Resource Specialists also connect families with community resources and create opportunities for family members to support one another, helping reduce isolation. FAST supports families by providing:

In-depth educational support
Connections to community resources applicable to the family’s needs
Opportunities through retreats, trainings, and discussions for peer-to-peer interaction so families know they aren’t alone
Discretionary funding that improves the family’s ability to care for their child

FAST is funded by the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and is available to Kansas families with children, birth through age 18, who have not applied or are on the waiting list for the I/DD waiver.

Kansas Network for Employment and Career Transition for Youth (knectY)

Your Path to Independence Starts Here

knectY is a statewide initiative helping youth and young adults with disabilities explore career paths, develop job skills, and achieve meaningful employment. Powered by Families Together in partnership with Kansas WorkforceONE, this free program empowers youth to define their own future.

How knectY helps youth:

Empowerment (CHASE Program)
Employment (Kansas WorkforceONE)
Engagement (Families Together Family Support)

100% federally funded. Free to Kansas youth with disabilities ages 14-24.