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Support Groups

sponsored by Support for Families of Children with Disabilities

All support groups are free of charge. Childcare is provided, unless otherwise indicated, and must be reserved in advance. 

If you are interested in participating in any of these groups, call Open Gate, 415-920-5040 or e-mail us for more information.

Autism Group

Monthly support group for families of children with Autism.

  • Meets: 1st Wednesday of the month.
  • Facilitated by Jackie Fox.
  • NO CHILD CARE PROVIDED.

Evening Autism Group

  • Meets 1st Tuesday evening of the month, 6:30-8:30pm.
  • Facilitated by Priya Mathur.

Asperger’s Group

For families who have children with Asperger's Syndrome.

  • Meets: 3rd Thursday of the month.
  • Facilitated by Karen Haney-Owens

Chinese-Speaking Groups

Chinatown Child Development Center

For Chinese-speaking families of children with special needs.

  • Meets: Every 3rd Monday of the month.
  • Facilitated by Lisa Yee.

SFCD Group

For Chinese-speaking families of children with special needs.

  • Meets: every 1st Saturday of the month.
  • Facilitated by Mee Kit Yip-Li.

Down Syndrome Support Group

For parents and caregivers of children with down.

  • Meets the 2nd Tuesday evening of the month.
  • Facilitated by Judy Silva and Wes Horner.

Foster Parent Group

A group for foster parents caring for children with special needs to exchange resources, support and information.

  • Meets first Thursday of each month, 6:00-7:30pm.

Living with Loss:  Loss, Hope and Healing

A group for parents and caretakers of medically fragile children and children facing life threatening illness.

  • Facilitated by Nancy Iverson, MD.

Parents of Transition Age Youth with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities

Join us for information, resources and support for the issues we and our youth face as they reach adulthood.

  • Meets: 1st Tuesday of the month from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
  • Facilitated by Linda Tung.

Prader-Willi Group

For families of children with Prader-Willi Syndrome.

  • Sibling group also provided.
  • Facilitated by Sue Kuyper and Christina Lewis.

Mission Head Start Group

For Spanish-speaking families of children birth to five with special needs.

  • Facilitated by Christine Reina.

Tuesday Night Group

A group for parents who have children with a disability or special health care needs.

  • Meets one Tuesday per month
  • Facilitated by Nina Boyle.

New Groups Beginning Fall 2010

Behavior Discussion Group

A workshop series and discussion group for families concerned about their child’s behavior.

  • Beginning first October 2010, 2nd Thursday of the month 6-7:30.
  • Facilitated by Sue Kuyper

Newly Diagnosed Group

For families of children birth to five who have been recently diagnosed or identified with a disability or a special health care need.

  • Will be meeting one Tuesday per month.
  • Facilitated by Nina Boyle.

Spanish-Speaking Children on Autism Spectrum

For Spanish-speaking families of children on the autism spectrum.

  • Time and date to be announced.

Spanish-Speaking Group

For all Spanish-speaking families of children with special needs.

  • Facilitated by Sue Kuyper.
  • Fourth Thursday of each month 4-5:30pm

Please Contact Sue Kuyper, Social Worker, at 920-5040 X132 for information about other support groups being offered or if you are interested in a group on a specific issue.  Sue speaks Spanish and English.

Support for Families Has Moved!

Our new location is:
   1663 Mission Street
   7th Floor
   San Francisco, CA 94103
Our phone numbers and hours remain the same.