For the past three years, Care 4, the Caregivers, has set out to ensure families with disabilities are supported not by treating the child but by stabilizing the family and caring for the primary caregiver. We have done that by caring for parents’ mental health, providing parent training, and fostering a sense of community with our community connection events.  

Receiving grants for our work is difficult because we are disrupting the system, we are changing the focus of care, we are doing something revolutionary. There are plenty of peer-reviewed journal articles that state caregivers need more support- but almost no peer-reviewed journal articles highlighting how that support should be given, how that support actually improves the quality of life of the caregiver. 

Our evidence-based study hopes to do just that. Thirty caregivers will be enrolled in the study and will undergo six months of therapy, two-parent training classes (SSTP and After the Diagnosis), and attendance at our community events. 

Our hope is that we will show that our programs improve the quality of life for our caregivers, help them feel less isolated, and shift their perspective about disability. 

You can read about the study HERE.