About Us

The Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs, Inc. (FRC) is a not for profit, 501(c) organization located in Charleston, South Carolina. The FRC provides information services throughout the Lowcountry and was organized to promote opportunities for learning, inclusion, and empowerment for individuals with disabilities and special needs, their families, and their communities through such means as education, advocacy, and outreach.

Since 1999, staff with the Parent Training and Resource Center (PTRC) has provided training to over 7000 individuals, provided more than 1380 training workshops to parent/guardians, worked with 4000+ families, and 900 professionals.

The majority of seats on the Board of Directors is held by parents of children with disabilities under the age of 26. Donations to the Center are tax deductible according to federal guidelines. The Board invites inquiries regarding the activities of The Family Resource Center and welcomes support from the tri-county area to accomplish our mission.

To promote opportunities for learning, inclusion, and empowerment for individuals with disabilities and special needs, their families, and their communities.

We offer free access to a comprehensive catalog of resource materials. Items available for loan include books, audio and video cassette tapes, articles, journals, and a variety of training curricula.

The Family Resource Center library contains topics related to specific disabilities, self-advocacy issues, current therapies, and special education. Many resources are available in Spanish and arrangements may be made to access materials through any Family Resource Center satellite branch.

The Family Resource Center has a history of collaboration with:

• ABLE
• Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center
• College of Charleston
• Family Connections of South Carolina
• Four School Districts serving the tri-county
  • Berkeley
  • Charleston
  • Dorchester County 2 and 4
• HALOS
• Access Ability
• Joint Base Charleston – Exceptional Family Member Program
• MUSC
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Project REX
• SC Autism Society
• State Department of Education
• The Citadel
• South Carolina Disability Rights
• Southeastern School Behavior Community
• University of South Carolina
• US Department of Justice

The FRC provides unique opportunities for families to access mentorship resources not easily found elsewhere in the local area. Your programs enable families, especially those with a newly diagnosed special needs family member, to gain valuable insights into the complicated world of special education. Our families are well served from the point of referral and intake, to the point where they confidently stand on their own as advocates for their family member.

John J. Tecklenburg

Former Mayor, City of Charleston

When I was a special education director we would often have meetings in school with all the multidisciplinary team present, a related service person, like a speech therapist, the child’s teacher, a school psychologist, and than the parents. I always felt so conscious that the parents came into a meeting that may have 6, 7, 8 or more school people to discuss their child’s future, and the parents knew little of the complex nature of assessment and the often very confusing requirements of special education law. How isolating that must be. I have been very happy to be part of the Family Resource Center including the Parent Training and Resource Center, an organization that provides opportunities and empowerment for individuals with disabilities and their families.

Walter Jenner

Board of Directors, FRC

The Parent Training and Resource Center provides quality programs and professionally trained staff to meet the needs in our community.

R. Keith Summey

Former Mayor, City of North Charleston

The work you have accomplished with the Family Resource Center has been simply outstanding. Moreover, the working relationships that you have developed with special education officials in your area have led to improvements in their special education programs. Truly your work has been a model of what a Community Parent Resource Center (CPC) should be doing and has had a tremendous impact on our state.

Mitchell L. Yell, Ph.D.

Fred and Francis Lester Chair of Teacher Education

Thank you very much for supporting us. We really appreciate you. You make a difference in someone’s life.

The Quintels

Parents in Charleston County

Your advice and encouragement helped me be persistent in making sure all of the recommendations were clear and specific….Without your guidance, I wouldn't have known that this was acceptable for me to do. The school/district have met all of our requests… I feel like everyone is on board….I'm telling everyone about your office and how much help you provided! I have made a donation through the PayPal link, but if you're ever looking for parent testimonials I am happy to provide one. Thanks again

Lori Dickerson

Parent

The presence of The Family Resource Center in a complex IEP meeting was an asset to the family. The Parent Mentor kept the child's parents up to speed during the entire decision-making process.

Shelly Ackley MS CCC-SLP

Say it with a Smile LLC

Many, many parents have commented to me that the Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs has been a critical difference-maker in the trajectory of their children’s lives. Perhaps most importantly, these parents utilize and benefit from your organization’s services on a long-term basis….It is truly difficult to put into words where our community would be without your organization’s dedication to the underserved. Your tireless advocacy on behalf of patients with disabilities is an inspiration to countless other mental health workers throughout the region.

McLeod Frampton Gwynette, MD,

Child + Adolescent Psychiatrist

Thank you so much for mentoring me on (my son’s) IEP. It was very helpful and I’m so glad to have met you.

Eli & Shannon

Parents in Charleston County