Texas Parent to Parent

About Us: History

“A bunch of moms got together, and we decided that no mom should feel alone, feel helpless or see despair when times got touch when they were taking care of their child with chronic illness, disability or other special needs. We wanted moms, dads, grandmas, aunts, uncles, foster parents – whoever was providing care for the child with special needs – to have a place they could go to talk about what it felt like and to get through the really hard times. That is why we started Texas Parent to Parent. We are passionately committed to doing this. I can’t imagine a future without Texas Parent to Parent now.”

-Val Sutorius, Parent

In December 2001, a committed group of parents and professionals began forming Texas Parent to Parent (TxP2P), drawing on their experiences as parents and as professionals in child and family service organizations. The organization held its first Board meeting in January 2002, received its IRS 501(c)3 designation in March, and began serving children and families in April. TxP2P began providing parent-to-parent services with a volunteer staff and a private donation of $15,000. Currently, TxP2P receives income from multiple sources including grants from foundations, government agencies, private donations, and fundraisers.

In 2002, TxP2P received its first grant from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities to create a medical residency program called MEd. Through this program, TxP2P trains Pediatric and Family Practice residents and other health care professionals about the challenges of living and caring for a child or youth with special health care needs. TxP2P currently works with Dell Children’s Medical Center and the Blackstock Clinic with Seton Healthcare Network in Austin, Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, and the Texas Tech Health Science Center in Amarillo on this project.

In 2004, TxP2P received a grant from what is now the Texas Department of State Health Services to provide Family Support in South Texas which grew in following years to include the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. That same year, TxP2P received federal funding through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid and later the Maternal Child Health Bureau to serve as Texas’ sole Family to Family Health Care Information Center (F2F HIC). This grant provided additional funding for parent support and trainings on health care issues across the state. Learn more about the F2F Center in Texas. Both of these grants put TxP2P on the path to reach and assist many more parents throughout the state.

In 2005, the TxP2P Annual Parent Conference grew to become a major conference for parents of children with disabilities. It remains the only statewide conference for parents and professionals created and designed by parents of children and youth with disabilities, chronic illness, and other special health care needs to meet the needs of the entire family.

In 2006, TxP2P received a grant to establish the Texas Parent Group Network, which provides technical assistance to Texas parent support groups. The funding was provided by an Incentive Award from the Champions for Progress Center in collaboration with the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) Title V Children with Special Health Care Needs Program.

Looking ahead to the future: TxP2P is developing a new program called Pathway to Adulthood. This program will assist families with issues that arise as their youth approach/reach adulthood.