Families of Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs to Gather for First-Ever ‘Navigate Life Day’

AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Task Force for Children with Special Needs (TFCSN) and the Texas
Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced that Aug. 1
will be the first-ever “Navigate Life Day,” a special observance to
celebrate Texas families who have children with disabilities and special
health care needs.

This awareness day is part of a month-long education campaign to
introduce Texans to NavigateLifeTexas.org,
or AvancemosJuntosTexas.org
in Spanish. The new website is the first in the country to provide
comprehensive, relevant information about how to care for children with
disabilities and special health care needs, from diagnosis through
adulthood.

TFCSN and HHSC have partnered with Texas
Parent to Parent as well as non-profit organizations, parents, and
other stakeholders to host multiple Navigate Life Day events during
August. These events are being held in communities across the state to
help families connect with one another and learn about the new website.

“We want to celebrate the launch of this valuable new tool for families
of children with disabilities and other health care needs,” said Mary Jo
Miller of Texas Parent to Parent. “We believe Navigate Life Day is just
the beginning of a larger grassroots movement to help educate families
about resources like NavigateLifeTexas.org. It is also a meaningful way
to help families build support systems in their own communities.”

Background

NavigateLifeTexas.org was designed for parents, by parents. Until now,
there was no single source for people to go to for comprehensive,
relevant, and accurate information about children with disabilities and
special health care needs. Extensive research showed that parents and
professionals believed a comprehensive website was needed.
NavigateLifeTexas.org fills this gap by offering information such as how
to talk to doctors and school officials, how to find financial help, and
how to find community support.

Research conducted as part of the website project indicates most, if not
all, parents who have children with a disability or special health care
need feel some sense of isolation. NavigateLifeTexas.org provides
relevant information for these parents as well as a robust search
function that can help them locate services and support groups within
their ZIP code or county and elsewhere in Texas.

Children with disabilities and special health care needs are not defined
by race, color, or socio-economic status. This is an issue that affects
all Texans. According to Texas Parent to Parent, more than 900,000
children in Texas have a disability or special health care need. Nearly
250,000 children have conditions that consistently affect their daily
activities.

Contacts

Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Enrique Marquez,
512-424-6951
Enrique.Marquez@hhsc.state.tx.us