American Heart Association, 616 Banning Ave, Northfield, NJ 08225, US

The staff of the Atlantic Cape Family Support Organization are parents and caregivers of children with emotional and behavioral challenges. Our Organization is unique because we are PARENTS SUPPORTING PARENTS. We support, educate and advocate for families in Atlantic and Cape May Counties who have children in crisis struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges. Our primary goal is to enable the parent or caregiver to advocate for their children and to have their voice heard in decisions concerning their child. On a larger scale, we reach out to the community to help provide similar assistance to families whose child has not reached the crisis stage. We also advocate for families at the legislative level, taking parents to speak to legislators "one on one" and at community forums. We also seek to encourage public and private agencies to work together and become more family oriented in their approach to the family. We believe in a preventative approach which is more responsive and flexible to the family's needs, creating a more relaxed home environment for the parent and the child. We also believe in investing in the strengths of the family and the child. We feel that the most important voice to be heard for a child is the parent's voice. The most important support that a parent can receive is the support of another parent who knows the struggles and fears of raising a child with emotional and behavioral challenges.