"What a treasure! A wealth of valuable 'pearls of wisdom,' based on years of experiences by many families and programs, all in one place. The Parent to Parent Handbook: Connecting Families of Children with Special Needs not only provides the rationale for parent support through stories by and about families, but also offers step by step advice in creating and sustaining Parent to Parent groups. Written by nationally recognized and cherished leaders in the field of family support, this book is a must for families, providers of services and researchers who want to understand the value of Parent to Parent support or to create programs." —Merle G. McPherson, M.D., Director, Division of Services for Children with Special Health Needs, Maternal and Child Health Bureau

"The Parent to Parent Handbook beautifully combines a vision for the future of children and families with the nuts and bolts of starting and maintaining an effective organization.... I only wish I could have had this handbook in my desk drawer during my early years as founder and director of the Federation for Children with Special Needs!" —Martha Ziegler

"The Arc has long recognized the value of parents of a child with a disability providing information and support to other parents. The Parent to Parent Handbook provides an easy to read resource, offering concrete examples to guide the process of program development, operation, promotion and evaluation. The Arc enthusiastically recommends this handbook to parents and organizations seeking to create supports for families raising a child with a disability." —Steven M. Eidelman, Executive Director, The Arc of the United States

"Thank you, thank you for writing this book. It will be an invaluable resource for families and for professionals from a variety of disciplines and settings." —Beverley H. Johnson, President/CEO, Institute for Family-Centered Care

"This book offers eloquent evidence of the power of parent to parent support. Health care providers can join with families in looking to this Handbook for innovation and insight." —William Schwab, M.D., Professor, University of Wisconsin, Department of Family Medicine

"Over the past 30 years there has been an increasing awareness of the need for parents of children with special health care needs to have parent to parent support. The Parent to Parent Handbook is a superb guide to developing not only Parent to Parent Programs but also other grassroots initiatives. The practical tools in this handbook, such as how to organize or institutionalize your program, all the way to funding your program, are applicable to many other community based programs. Every pediatrician and other health professional who works in the community, will find this book to be a valuable asset to pull off the shelf, to help answer some difficult questions." —Thomas Tonniges, M.D., Director, Department of Community Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics

"The Parent to Parent Handbook will make a big difference in the everyday lives of families whose children have disabilities. All the resources we need to connect families are here. It is clear, direct and complete... a book to keep and use, not just to read." —Sue Swenson, Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities

"Written with loving detail and does justice to the heart to heart nature of parents helping other parents. The authors include parent leaders who give voice to the concerns of parents of color who have to deal with problems of discrimination, poverty and a historical gap in services. I recommend it highly." —George H.S. Singer, Ph.D.

"The value of talking to a parent 3-5 years down the road is immeasurable, and I wish that every parent could take advantage of this valuable resource, critical to raising a child with special needs.... Without this contact I would be lost in a muddle of misinformation." —A new parent talking about Parent to Parent programs

"From applying for non-profit status to strategic planning, program evaluation and board development this Handbook shares with its audience resources, examples and suggestions for successfully implementing, marketing and sustaining a program in your community.... Reflective and visionary — it is testimony to the strengths of families as pathfinders, and the spirit and generosity within the Parent to Parent movement." —Nancy DiVenere, Executive Director, Parent to Parent of Vermont

"Thank you to the authors for taking their experiences and giving us a book that will help all families whose children have special needs." —Polly Arango, Executive Director, Family Voices