About Us

How We Help

  • Children’s Resource Center-North is a resource for families and professionals who support children who have any type of disability, delay, special health care need including mental and behavioral health. This includes families who are seeking help receiving a diagnosis.
  • We are one of 5 Resource Centers (map on back) in the state funded by DHS as part of Wisconsin Wayfinder. Our main role is to field questions from families and professionals about services in Wisconsin and know what is available locally. We have the time to dig into resources or find more information for families
  • While we serve families with diverse and complex medical needs, we also frequently support many families with resources relating to autism, behavioral health concerns, and/or mental illness.
  • We maintain notes on locations for therapy, evaluations and other providers in the area including what insurance they take, ages of clients, and the status of their waiting lists.
  • Our resource center is staffed by individuals with lived experience, primarily parents of children with disabilities.
  • Our staff provide information and make referrals related to private and public funding resources and programs. We take the time to explain to families what services are provided and why. We check to make sure that families know all that is available to them and coach families on how to advocate for what they need.
  • We also offer parent support through printed resource lists, information on training and conferences and funding options, and referrals to one-to-one parent support as well as groups.

Children’s Resource Center Brochure – North, English

Children’s Resource Center Brochure – North, Hmong

Children’s Resource Center Brochure – North, Spanish

Our Staff- use the Contact Us page to reach out to any of us for help

Allison Lourash, Program Manager

Hello, I am so excited to use over 20 years of personal and professional experience working with families who are navigating systems at the Northern Regional Center. Being born with a physical disability, as well as other personal experiences, has shaped my career and this role is a great fit as I love connecting people to resources and information. Before coming to the Northern Regional Center, I worked in adult systems serving people with disabilities in variety of roles around increasing employment and community connections. I also have a strong interest in transition from my work coordinating accommodations at a college and having been an advocate for families by providing transition resources and training. 

Allison Lourash

 

Sara Owens-Keenan, Resource Guide

Hello there! My name is Sara Owens-Keenan, and I’m so happy and honored to serve in a role that blends my experience as a parent of an Autistic child and previous career as a clinical social worker. I reached out to the regional center looking for caregiver support after my child was diagnosed, and I feel passionate about and motivated to offer others the same resources and support I received. I appreciate learning from people’s unique lived experiences and then facilitating access to information, services, and additional connections based on that. Before joining the Resource CEnter, I worked as a stay-at-home parent for two children. Before that, I worked with youth and families experiencing mental health issues across a variety of settings, including schools, outpatient mental health centers, and psychiatric hospitals.

picture of Sara smiling, outside with trees in the background

CYSHCN Philosophy

We believe that:

  • Children are best served within their family
  • Children and families are best supported within the context of their community
  • Families need to have convenient access to care coordinators
  • Collaboration is the best way to provide comprehensive services
  • Family perspectives and presence must be included in all aspects of the system.

Our goal is to meet the needs of children and youth with special needs by focusing on the unique strengths of family members, responding to all requests promptly, by finding resources as close to home as possible, and by working with local partners collaboratively to serve the children and their families.

CYSHCN Mission

The Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program will collaborate with national, state, and community-based partners to link children to appropriate services, close service gaps, reduce duplication and develop policies to better serve families.