Support & Community Resources

YCS (formerly ECRN+)

YCS, previously known as ECRN+, is part of the YMCA of Central Ohio. It supports families with children who have developmental delays, disabilities, or health care needs—from infancy through early childhood.

Their services include early intervention (0–3), developmental screenings for preschoolers, family support, SPARK (school readiness), Stable Families programs, and lending adaptive equipment like walkers, sensory tools, and feeding chairs. They also host community events like adaptive kayaking, hiking, and inclusive play groups.

YCS empowers over 2,000 Ohio families each year by helping navigate therapies, community resources, and school readiness.

May We Help

May We Help is a volunteer‑run nonprofit based in Cincinnati. Skilled teams of engineers, designers, therapists, and makers build custom adaptive devices at no cost for people whose needs aren’t met by off‑the‑shelf products. In 2023 they logged over 10,000 volunteer hours and delivered hundreds of custom solutions.

They offer services like adaptive equipment swaps—where families can pick up or donate items like wheelchairs, gait trainers, and strollers—and create one‑off devices such as wheelchair accessories or switches for toys and tools. Since 2019, they’ve distributed over $1.8M in equipment for free.

Projects are coordinated from their workshop and often involve a discovery visit, design/build phase, and final delivery. To start, families can complete a Request for Help form. Services are free, and volunteers will often travel to families where needed.

Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities is the county agency supporting kids and adults with developmental disabilities right here in Franklin County. They offer early childhood education, in-home early intervention, preschool classrooms, service coordination, and more.

Their Early Childhood Education & Family Center serves children from birth through age 5, often alongside typically developing peers, all at no cost. Families can get support from home-based services too. FCBDD also runs adult programs, recreation and Special Olympics, transition services for older teens, and support teams that coordinate Medicaid waiver services.

You can apply for services through their intake process. If you're a parent, a service coordinator becomes your partner in planning help tailored to your child's needs.

Kids Mental Health Foundation

Kids Mental Health Foundation is a national nonprofit focused on helping families understand and support their child’s mental health. Their site breaks down big topics like anxiety, behavior, trauma, and diagnosis in a way that’s meant for parents who are just trying to make sense of what’s going on.

They also talk about the impact of disabilities and medical conditions on mental health, which makes it a good fit for families like ours. You’ll find explanations of what different evaluations look like, what certain diagnoses might mean, and what kinds of supports are out there. There’s also a big section about grief and life changes, including how siblings are affected when one child has complex needs.

What’s helpful is that you don’t have to be in crisis to use this site. It’s built for parents who want to learn and do a little more. They also offer a free mental health check-in tool and a guide to finding help in your state.