Child Care | Health Care | Housing | Income Support | Food & Nutrition | Child Abuse & Domestic Violence | Kinship Care, Foster Care & Adoption | Legal Assistance & Family Education and Support

CHILD CARE

Child Care Referrals and Information

Options for Working Families
441 Park Avenue, Suite B
Cranston RI 02920
Phone: 401-946-2300 / 1-800-516-2055
Fax: 401-946-2301
Website: www.optionsforfamilies.org
Email: info@optionsforfamilies.org
   › Type of Service: Options refers parents to child care providers, based on the type of care needed, the location of the facility, and any special amenities needed for the child. This service is free of charge.

Child Care Assistance

Child Care Subsidy Agency
Rhode Island Department of Human Services
Office of Child Care, Louis Pasteur Bldg. #57
600 New London Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: 401-462-3415
Fax: 401-462-6878
DHS Info Line: 401-462-5300 (TTY/Hearing Impaired 401-462-3363)
Website: www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/famchild/dcspgm.htm
   › Type of Service: Assistance for working families earning up to 225% of the federal poverty level to cover the cost of child care for children under age 17. Subsidies come in the form of partial or full payment to the child care provider of the families' choice. Subsidies may be used for child care at accredited family child care homes, licensed child care centers, and before-school and after-school programs.

Incomes qualifying for child-care subsidies include:

• Family of two: annual income up to $28,103
• Family of three: annual income up to $35,258
• Family of four: annual income up to $42,413
• Family of five: annual income up to $49,568
• Family of six: annual income up to $56,723

Head Start, Early Head Start & Comprehensive Child Care Networks

Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Rhode Island Head Start - State Collaboration Office
Department of Human Services
600 New London Avenue
Louis Pasteur Bldg. #57
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: 401-462-3071
Fax: 401-462-6878
   › Type of Service: Comprehensive early childhood programs for preschool children (Head Start) and toddlers (Early Head Start) living in families whose income is below 100% of the federal poverty line, who receive Supplemental Security Income or are enrolled in the Family Independence Program, or who use supportive services that are federal TANF benefits (e.g., transportation vouchers, child care subsidies, job training).

Incomes qualifying for Head Start include:

• Family of two: annual income up to $12,490
• Family of three: annual income up to $15,670
• Family of four: annual income up to $18,850
• Family of five: annual income up to $22,030
• Family of six: annual income up to $25,210

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HEALTH CARE

Health Insurance Coverage and Medical Assistance

RIte Care/RIte Share
RIte Care/RIte Share Info Line: 401-462-5300 English or Spanish, (TTY 401-462-3363)
RIte Care/RIte Share Website: www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/famchild/shcare.htm

To apply for RIte Care/RIte Share, there are a few methods: 1) Call the RIte Care/RIte Share info line for the name and number of the Family Resource Counselor in your community who can help you complete an application. 2) Contact your local Department of Human Services (DHS) Office and request a mail-in application. 3) Download an application and instructions, available in both English and Spanish, from the RIte Care/RIte Share website. Applications to RIte Care and RIte Share can be mailed in, and DHS does not require face-to-face interviews.

   › Type of Service: RIte Care is Rhode Island 's Medicaid managed care program that provides eligible low-income and working families with health insurance. RIte Care is available for income-eligible children under 19, parents, and pregnant women. Family Resource Counselors provide RIte Care application assistance and screen for eligibility for other programs such as WIC, Food Stamps, Child Care Subsidies and the Family Independence Program.Family Resource Counselors are available at community health centers and hospitals.

RIte Share is a premium assistance program that helps families to get health insurance coverage through their employer (or spouse's employer). RIte Share will pay all or part of the eligible employee's health insurance cost.

Families who are enrolled in RIte Care can choose between three participating health plans: Blue Chip, Neighborhood Health Plan of RI, or United HealthCare of New England.

The following benefits and services are available to RIte Care members:

Doctor's office visits Immunizations Prescriptions Lab tests Prenatal care Mental health services Drug or alcohol treatment Referral to specialists Hospital care Emergency care

Home health care Skilled nursing care Family Planning services Nutrition services Interpreter services Childbirth education programs Parenting classes Smoking cessation programs Transportation to medical appointments Dental care

Eligibility for RIte Care/RIte Share is based on family size and income. Families with incomes over 150% of the Federal Poverty Level ($23,505 for a family of three in 2004) are required to pay a monthly premium for their health insurance. The monthly premiums increase incrementally with family income between 150% and 250% FPL. Qualifying monthly incomes and corresponding monthly premiums are as follows:

Dental Care Providers Accepting Medical Assistance

Private Dentists / Dental Specialists
To find a private Dentist or Dental Specialist (Endodontist [root canals], Oral Surgeon [extractions/mouth surgery], Orthodontist [braces], Periodontist [gum disease], or Prosthodontist [dentures/replacement of missing teeth]) who accepts Medical Assistance: Call the RIte Care Info Line: 401-462-5300 or visit the DHS website: www.dhs.ri.gov

• Click on “Provider Search” in the column on the left hand side, then
• Select “Dentist” under the “Type of Service” category, and then
• Click on “Find Provider” to get a listing of dentists.

Note: The list on the website includes dentists who have accepted Medical Assistance in the past. Dentists on this list may not be accepting Medical Assistance when you call. Dentists also may place limits on which patients they treat. For example, dentists may only be providing care to current patients, patients who live in the community in which the dental office is located, and/or patients of certain ages.

Community Health Centers with Dental Centers
The Community Health Services listed below offer dental services. However, Community Health Centers may not be a ccepting new patients at the time that you call, may not provide all types of dental care, and/or may only provide dental care to their medical patients. Travelers Aid of Rhode Island (soon to be known as Crossroads Rhode Island) specializes in dental care for people who are homeless or at risk for homelessness.

Hospitals with Dental Centers
All of these hospital clinics serve children. Samuels Dental Center also serves adults who have special health care needs, such as mental retardation and developmental disabilities. These clinics may have a waiting list for the next available appointment, but if you have a dental emergency, they may be able to see you sooner.

Pediatric Dental Center/Fatima Health Center
40 Broad St.
Pawtucket, 02860
(401) 723-2891

Pediatric Dental Center/St. Joseph Hospital
21 Peace St.
Providence, 02907
(401) 456-4461

Samuels Dental Center/RI Hospital
593 Eddy St.
Providence, 02903
(401) 444-5284

Dental Hygiene Clinic
Cleanings and exams, x-rays, and sealants are available at the dental hygiene clinic for a fee of $10 (each). All services are provided by appointment weekdays from September to May only. Services are provided by dental hygiene students under professional supervision. Services that must be performed by a dentist (such as fillings or dentures) are not available at this clinic. Appointments for children are limited.

Community College of Rhode Island
1762 Louisquisset Pike
Lincoln, 02865
(401) 333-7250

Mental Health Services

Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs)

   › Type of Service: The eight Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) in Rhode Island provide a number of services:

• Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment, including clinical services as well as helping clients to obtain housing, social services, medical and dental treatment, job training, and links to education and community networks;
• Emergency services which provide 24 hours a day crisis intervention including evaluation, counseling, and the administration of medication;
• Residential services that provide housing options ranging from independent living to 24-hour group home care;
• Mobile Treatment Teams (MTT) that use an integrated multi-disciplinary team approach providing treatment, rehabilitation and support in clients' naturalized environments. Clients served are those who have the most severe mental illness;
• Rehabilitation services which help clients with activities of life. These include skill building psychiatric rehabilitation and a wide range of work-related services including basic literacy and GED training as well as vocational assessment, occupational therapy, sheltered workshops, job placement and on-the-job training;
• Outpatient counseling and treatment services that provide psychotherapy for individuals or families, substance abuse treatment and medication maintenance to ensure the effectiveness of psychotherapy drugs.

CMHCs can also admit people to community hospitals. Butler Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Landmark Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital or Newport Hospital can provide up to 90 days of inpatient treatment. When longer hospital stays are needed, clients are transferred to the psychiatric unit of the Eleanor Slater Hospital which is operated by MHRH.

State Mental Health Agency
Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Hospitals
14 Harrington Road, Barry Hall
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: 401-462-3201
Fax: 401-462-3204
E-mail: kpower@mhrh.state.ri.us

Office of the Mental Health Advocate
State Mental Health Advocate
John O. Pastore Center 44 Greendale Court, Cottage 405
Cranston, RI, 02920
Phone: (401) 462-2003
Secondary Phone:(401) 462-2004
Fax:(401) 462-2008
   › Type of Service: Provides legal assistance and protects the rights of psychiatric patients engaged in treatment in the public mental health system (both in hospitals and in the community). Also ensures access to treatment, liberty, and quality of life issues like housing and debt resolution.

Family Support
Parent Support Network of Rhode Island
400 Warwick Avenue, Suite 12
Warwick, RI 02888-1317
Toll-free: 800-483-8844
Phone: 401-467-6855
Fax: 401-467-6903
   › Type of Service: The Parent Support Network is an organization of families supporting families with children and youth who are at risk for or have behavioral or emotional challenges. Its goals are to: strengthen and preserve families; enable families in self-advocacy; extend social networks and reduce family isolation; and develop social policy and systems of care. The Parent Support Network accomplishes these goals by providing advocacy, education and training, promoting outreach and public awareness, facilitating social events for families, and participating on committees responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating policies and systems of care.

Advocacy Organizations
NAMI Rhode Island
1255 North Main Street
Providence, RI 02904-1867
Toll-free: 800-749-3197
Phone: 401-331-3060
Fax: 401-274-3020
Website: www.nami.org/about/amiri
   › Type of Service: The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill maintains a helpline for information on mental illnesses and referrals to local groups. The local self-help groups have support and advocacy components and offer education and information about community services for families and individuals.

Children with Special Health Care Needs

CEDARR Family Centers

About Families CEDARR Family Center
203 Concord Street, Suite 335
Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860
Phone: 401-365-6855

Family Solutions CEDARR
134 Thurbers Avenue, Suite 102
Providence, Rhode Island 02905
Phone: 401-461-4351 or 1-800-640-7283

Families First CEDARR Center
Hasbro Children's Hospital, Room 120
593 Eddy Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
Phone: 401-444-7703
Website: www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/dcedarr
   › Type of Service: CEDARR stands for Comprehensive, Evaluation, Diagnosis, Assessment, Referral and Re-evaluation – a one-stop source of information for Rhode Island families. CEDARR Family Centers can help children with special health care needs and their families with their need for information, professional assessment, specialty clinical evaluation, care planning, coordination of services, and ongoing referral assistance and support.

Family Voices of RI at Rhode Island Parent Information Network
175 Main Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Phone: 401-727-4144 or 800-464-3399
Fax: 401-727-4040
Email: ripin@ripin.org
Website: www.ripin.org
   › Type of Service: Family Voices of RI is part of a national network of families and friends of children with special health care needs, including those with chronic illnesses and disabilities. The organization provides information, advocacy and support for families.

Click here to download a comprehensive resource guide for families of children with special needs. The resource guide includes a listing of services for specific genetic disorders and disabilities.

Children with Lead Poisoning

Childhood Lead Action Project
1192 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02909
Phone: 401-785-1310
Toll Free: 888-234-3337
Fax: 401-941-8156
Email : info@leadsafekids.org
Website: www.leadsafekids.org
   › Type of Service: The initiatives of this project include community education about lead poisoning prevention, ongoing training of parents, community leaders, property managers and contractors to address the problem of unsafe housing, provision of referral services to families, parent support, and legal and policy advocacy.

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HOUSING

Housing Counseling and Information

Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation
44 Washington Street
Providence, RI 02903-1721
Phone: 401-751-5566 (TDD 401-427-9799)
Website: www.rihousing.com
   › Type of Service: An agency that provides counseling on finding affordable housing, renting, buying a home, defaults, foreclosures, credit issues and reverse mortgages.

Emergency Housing Assistance

Community Action Programs (CAP)

   › Type of Service: Assistance for people who are experiencing a temporary housing crisis. To be eligible for assistance, a person must meet income guidelines and be about to lose, or have lost, housing due to sickness/disability, loss of employment, damage to his/her home due to fire/weather or domestic violence.

Shelters and Transition Housing for the Homeless

Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless
50 Niantic Avenue, Suite C
Providence, RI 02907
Phone: 401-421-6458
Fax: 401-421-6426
Website: www.rihomeless.com
For a complete list of Rhode Island shelters and transition housing with contact information, visit www.rihomeless.com/shelters
   › Type of Service: A variety of programs to assist the homeless, including information, legal clinics, and referral to other resources.

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INCOME SUPPORT

Family Independence Program (FIP)
Info Line: 401-462-5300 (TTY 401-462-3363)
Website: www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/famchild/dfipgm
To apply for FIP benefits, contact your local Department of Human Services (DHS) office
   › Type of Service: Cash assistance on a temporary basis for Rhode Islanders and their families who are struggling to make ends meet. FIP limits cash assistance for adults to a lifetime total of five years. The goal of FIP is to encourage families to enter the workforce and secure gainful employment. Within the first two years of receiving FIP cash benefits, adult family members must work, look for work or begin preparing for work. DHS staff helps the adult participants to assess their families' needs, devise a plan to find or prepare for employment, and to be informed of other available resources. Families qualify for cash assistance based on their income, other resources they may have, and family size. Cash benefits are accessed using an EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) card at the check-out counter of retail stores or at ATM (Automated Teller Machines) machines at local banks and other locations throughout the state.

Earned Income Tax Credit
For information, call the DHS RIte Works Employment and Retention Service Unit at 401-462-5369
   › Type of Service: The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) was created to reduce the tax burden on low-to-moderate income working families and to supplement wages to these employees. The state EITC is refundable to very low-income Rhode Islanders depending on earnings and whether the employee is a single adult, or if the household includes one or two (or more) children. Currently, Rhode Island offers a state EITC equal to 25% of the federal EITC, with 3.75% being refundable.

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Food Stamp Program
Phone number to call for information about the DHS Food Stamp Program:

Providence area residents: 401-222-7276
Northern RI area residents: 401-235-6300
Warwick area residents: 1-800-282-7021
South County area residents: 1-800-282-7021
East Bay area residents: 401-222-7276

To apply to the Food Stamp Program, contact your local Department of Human Services (DHS) office.
   › Type of Service: Assistance for individuals and families who may be working but still struggle financially to cover food expenses. Individuals do not need to be participating in other DHS programs, including FIP, or working to qualify for food stamp benefits. Homeless individuals can also qualify to receive food stamp benefits. Food Stamps are accessed by using an EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) card at grocery store checkout counters. To apply, an individual or family must complete an application and have an interview with DHS, which can be held over the phone.

Eligibility for food stamps and the amount of the benefit are based on the individual or family's income level and household size. Household incomes qualifying for food stamps and the maximum amount of the food stamp benefit are listed below:

Family Size	Family’s Gross Monthly Income (Before Taxes and Deductions)	Maximum Amount of Monthly Food Stamps Benefit
2	Less than $1,484	$298
3	Less than $1,861	$426
4	Less than $2,238	$542
5	Less than $2,615	$643
6	Less than $2,992	$772

Emergency Food Assistance

Rhode Island Community Food Bank
200 Niantic Avenue
Providence, RI 02907
Phone: 401-942-MEAL
Website: www.rifoodbank.org
For a complete list of emergency food providers in your area and bus routes to get there, contact the Food Bank or visit www.rifoodbank.org/epl.pdf .
   › Type of Service: A supplier of food to a network of member agencies, including a large number of emergency food providers. The Food Bank also runs the programs Community Kitchen (a job training and meal production program for people with low incomes and few employment options) and Kids Cafe (a program that delivers the meals cooked in the Community Kitchen to centers that serve hungry children).

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Rhode Island Department of Health
WIC Program
3 Capitol Hill, Room 302
Providence, RI 02908
Information Hotline: 1-800-942-7434
Website: www.healthri.org/family/wic/home
To apply, call the WIC agency closest to you. Visit http://www.healthri.org/family/wic/call.htm for a listing of local WIC agencies.
   › Type of Service: A program that provides nutritious foods to supplement diets,information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care for women, infants and children. WIC serves income-eligible women that are pregnant, breastfeeding, or within 6 months of delivery, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk.Fathers, grandparents, and foster parents may also apply for WIC for children in their care.

The following table lists the maximum household incomes that qualify for WIC:
Effective July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009

http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/howtoapply/incomeguidelines.htm

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CHILD ABUSE & DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Child Abuse Prevention & Protective Services

RI Children's Advocacy Center
24-Hour Victims of Crime HelpLine: 1-800-494-8100
Phone: 401-421-4100, ext. 30
Website: www.satrc.org/ricac
   › Type of Service: The RI Children's Advocacy Center is a facility where child victims of sexual and/or violent physical abuse, and their non-offending family members, can go for the purpose of evaluation, evidence gathering, and assessment. Comprehensive services are provided by a multidisciplinary team, involving prosecutors, police, medical and mental health professionals, and human service providers. In addition to the main office in Providence, the Children's Advocacy Center has additional interviewing sites in Kent County and Washington County. CAC services are provided statewide. There are no financial changes for CAC services.

Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
24-Hour Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-RI-CHILD (1-800-742-4453)
101 Friendship Street
Providence, RI 02903 -3716
Phone: 401-528-3593
Website: www.dcyf.state.ri.us/chldwelfare
Visit www.dcyf.state.ri.us for more information about DCYF Family Services, Adoption Placement, and Foster Care
   › Type of Service: Children's Protective Services assists families who contact DCYF for help or who are referred by the courts.A trained staff member makes an assessment of the family's strengths and needs and arranges for the appropriate services.

Office of the Child Advocate
272 West Exchange Street, Suite 301
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-222-6650
Fax: 401-222-6652
Website: www.child-advocate.state.ri.us
   › Type of Service: A legal office that advocates for particular children whose legal, civil, and special rights in the DCYF system and/or Family Court proceedings are not being met. Special attention is given to children in care who are not entitled to appointed counsel, primarily voluntary admittees, and to children, who though represented in Family Court, need legal assistance in collateral matters such as public benefits, education, mental health and employment. In addition the Office advocates for a group of individuals as an identifiable class when change for an entire class is necessary.

Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island
500 Prospect Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860 -6260
Phone: 401-728-7920
Fax: 401-724-5850
Website: www.preventchildabuse-ri.org
   › Type of Service: This organization works to prevent child abuse and neglect through education, advocacy and public awareness activities.

Domestic Violence Shelter Agencies

   › Type of Service: Agencies that assist abused and homeless women and their children. Services include crisis support, safe shelter, counseling, emotional support, referrals to mental health and legal services, legal advocacy, educational workshops, assistance in safety planning, transition support, and children's activities.

Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Resources

Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center
300 Richmond Street, Suite 205
Providence, RI 02903-4244

24-Hour Victims of Crime HelpLine: 1-800-494-8100
Phone: 401-421-4100 (Collect calls accepted)
Fax: 401-454-5565
E-mail: info@satrc.org
Website: www.satrc.org
   › Type of Service: This center addresses the issues of sexual assault and trauma through a comprehensive range of services, including intervention, treatment, education and prevention. The center can provide victims of sexual assault with information about their options and assist them in making difficult decisions. A trained volunteer can accompany victims to the hospital, police station, and court.

Domestic Abuse 24-hour Hotline: 1-800-228-7395

Rape Crisis 24-hour Hotline: 1-800-489-7273

RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence
24-Hour Helpline: 1-800-494-8100
422 Post Road, Suite 202
Warwick, RI 02888-1524
Website: www.ricadv.org

Restraining Order Office
McGrath Courthouse: Toll Free 1-800-662-5034, or 401-274-2652
Garrahy Courthouse: 401-458-3372

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KINSHIP CARE, FOSTER CARE & ADOPTION

Kinship Care Initiatives and Support

Kincare Alliance
Contact: Gloria Fairbanks at 401-732-7832
   › Type of Service: The City of Warwick Senior Services and Youth Division offers the Kincare Alliance for kinship care providers in the city and surrounding areas. The program provides education training and support services for kinship care families. It also hosts recreational activities and offers social services to address the needs and concerns of kinship care providers.

Relatives as Parents Task Force
Contact: Lisa D'Agostino, Department of Elderly Affairs, by phone at 401-222-2894 ext. 319, or by email at lisadag@dea.state.ri.us.
   › Type of Service: An inter-governmental agency task force to establish five new kinship support groups across Rhode Island. The task force meets monthly to identify supports needed by families and to develop a model curriculum for use by support groups. The task force welcomes community partners and offers additional grants to expand the number of available support groups.

Subsidized Guardianship Program – Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)
Contact: Maureen Robbins, DCYF, Clinical Training Specialist by phone at 401-254-7076 or by email at robbinm@dcyf.state.ri.us.
   › Type of Service: DCYF provides guardianship subsidies, in addition to foster care payments and other benefits available to kin raising children in foster care, to those caregivers who pass DCYF qualifications.

Websites for Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren
GrandsPlace: www.grandsplace.com
Grand Parent Again: www.grandparentagain.com
Generations United: www.gu.org

Statewide Adoption and Foster Care Agencies

Children's Friend and Service
Providence Office
153 Summer Street
Providence, RI 02903
Toll Free: 1-800-286-2901
Phone: 401-276-4300
Fax: 401-331-3285
Email: info@childrensfriendri.org
Website: www.cfsri.org
   › Type of Service: This agency provides services to birth parents, including counseling for pregnant women who are trying to decide between parenting and placing their child in adoptive families, and to adopted children and their families. The agency finds adoption placements for children and promotes permanency in their families through a number of support services, including confidential counseling to adopted children and their families and other services for families with adopted children that are experiencing crisis. For more information about adoption services at Children's Friend and Service, contact Karen Peters-Bowden. The agency also provides services in foster care through a personalized program that addresses the needs of the children, birth parents and foster parents. The agency provides information, training, and support to those who would like to become foster parents. For more information on foster care services at Children's Friend and Service, contact Wendy Allmendinger at 401.276.4364 or toll-free 800.286.2901, or email fostercare@cfsri.org .

Communities For People, Inc.
221 Waterman Street
Providence, RI 02906
Phone: 401-273-7103
Fax: 401-421-4608
Email: cfpri@communities-for-people.org
Website: www.communities-for-people.org

Placement Solutions Office
528 North Main Street, Suite 2
Providence, RI 02904
Phone: (401) 272-3042
Fax: (401) 272-3187
   › Type of Service: This agency recruits, assesses, supports, and trains potential new adoptive families and foster parents. In particular, the Families for Children Program finds caring foster and adoptive parents for adolescents and teens with special needs, such as sibling groups or histories of medical, emotional, and physical difficulties. Foster and Adoptive parents receive extensive support and training from CFP staff.

Adoption Rhode Island
500 Prospect Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Phone: 401-724-1910
Email: adoptionri@ids.net
Website: www.adoptionri.org
   › Type of Service: Adoption Rhode Island provides a variety of services to waiting children, waiting families, adoptive families, the community and all people interested in exploring adoption in Rhode Island . It provides recruitment, matching, training, education, advocacy, family support and information and referral.

Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families
Adoption and Foster Care Preparation and Support
101 Friendship Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 528-3502
Website: www.dcyf.ri.gov/adoption
For information about Adoption Subsidies, contact Richard Barry at 401-254-7020.
   › Type of Service: The Adoption and Foster Care Preparation and Support Unit recruits, trains and assesses families who are interested in providing a home for one of these children. The goal of the Family Assessment and Training Experience is to provide prospective adoptive families with both information and an experience which will give them and the Department a basis on which to decide whether or not special needs adoption is the best way for them to expand their family.

* For a longer list of licensed adoption agencies in Rhode Island, visit www.adoptionri.org/riagency.

Domestic and International Adoption Services*

Friends In Adoption
44 South Street
P.O. Box 1228
Middletown Springs, VT 05757-1228
Phone: 802-235-2373
Email: fia@friendsinadoption.org
Website: www.friendsinadoption.org
   › Type of Service: This is a non-profit, licensed agency whose goal is to help people make informed decisions about adoption. FIA works with both those interested in adopting and with pregnant women/couples considering placing their children with adoptive families. It provides complete personal support and guidance to pregnant women and couples throughout all of the United States. FIA is approved to place children into Connecticut, Vermont, New York, Rhode Island, and New Jersey .

Wide Horizons for Children, Inc.
Main Office:
38 EdgeHill Road
Waltham, MA 02451
Phone: (781)894—5330
Fax: (781)899—2769
Email: contact@whfc.org
Website: www.whfc.org

Rhode Island Regional Office:
Bliss Place
245 Waterman Street, Suite 504
Providence, RI 02906
P hone: 401-421-4752
Fax: 401-421-4738
Website: www.whfc.org/about/offices/ri
   › Type of Service: Wide Horizons For Children is the largest private, non-profit adoption and child welfare agency in New England, and amongst the largest in the US. The agency places children from China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Korea, Moldova, The Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. The agency also provides an array of services to families throughout the adoption process.

Alliance for Children
Main Office:
Wellesley Office Park
55 William Street, Suite G-10
Wellesley, MA 02481 -3902
Phone: 781-431-7148
Fax: 781-431-7474
Email: info@allforchildren.org
Website: www.allforchildren.org

Rhode Island Branch Office:
Independence Square
500 Prospect Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860
Phone: 401-725-9555
   › Type of Service: Alliance for Children is a non-profit international adoption agency based in Massachusetts, serving families throughout the USA. The agency currently places children from Cambodia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the USA.

*For a longer list of international adoption agencies in Rhode Island and the New England region, visit www.adoptionri.org/riagency

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LEGAL ASSISTANCE & FAMILY EDUCATION SUPPORT

Legal Services

Rhode Island Legal Services
Providence Office:
56 Pine Street, 4th Floor
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-274-2652 or 1-800-662-5034

Newport Office:
50 Washington Square
Newport, RI 02903
Phone: 401-846-2264 or 1-800-662-5034
Website: www.rils.org
   › Type of Service: Rhode Island Legal Services offers legal assistance, advice, and representation to low-income families experiencing civil legal problems related to family matters, housing, employment, government benefits, or consumer disputes.

Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights
180 Westminster Street, 3rd Floor
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-222-2664 (TDD: 401-222-2661)
Fax: 401-222-2616
Website: http://richr.state.ri.us
   › Type of Service: This commission enforces anti-discrimination laws mandated by state and federal law.

Office of the Child Advocate
John O Pastore Center
57 Howard Avenue, 4th flr.
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401) 462-4300

Website: www.child-advocate.state.ri.us
   › Type of Service: A legal office that advocates for particular children whose legal, civil, and special rights in the DCYF system and/or Family Court proceedings are not being met. Special attention is given to children in care who are not entitled to appointed counsel, primarily voluntary admittees, and to children, who though represented in Family Court, need legal assistance in collateral matters such as public benefits, education, mental health and employment. In addition the Office advocates for a group of individuals as an identifiable class when change for an entire class is necessary.

Family Education and Support

The Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN)
175 Main Street
Pawtucket , RI 02860
Phone: 401-727-4144 or 800-464-3399
Fax: 401-727-4040
Email: ripin@ripin.org
Website: www.ripin.org
   › Type of Service: A statewide organization that empowers and educates families to seek positive outcomes for their children by providing professional guidance. Training and parenting information focuses on education, child development, disabilities, health care, effective home-school partnerships, fatherhood, Early Intervention, transition planning, violence prevention, literacy, basic rights, special education law and more. In addition to offering families with children guidance, referrals, training and support, RIPIN maintains a lending library of books and videos and a website full of helpful links and resources for helping all children reach their full potential.

Parent Support Network of Rhode Island (PSN)
400 Warwick Avenue
Warwick, RI 02886
Phone: 401-467-6855 or 800-483-8844
   › Type of Service: PSN is a statewide organization of families supporting families that have children who are at risk of have behavioral and/or emotional challenges. Support is provided that considers a family’s background and values. PSN provides support groups, telephone support, educational events, one-to-one assistance with advocacy and literature about education, mental health, and parenting a child with special emotional or behavioral needs.

Department of Human Services (DHS) Offices:

Coventry: 191 Macarthur Boulevard, Coventry, RI 02816 (401-828-2440)

Cranston: 600 New London Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920 (401-462-6500)

East Providence: 75 James Street, East Providence, RI 02914 (401-438-7500)

Johnston: 1514 Atwood Avenue, Johnston, RI 02919 (401-222-5666)

Newport: 12 Elm Street, Newport, RI 02840 (401-849-6000)

North Kingstown: 7734 Post Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 (401-884-7250)

Pawtucket: 24 Commerce Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860 (401-729-5400)

Providence: 206 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907 (401-222-7000)

Warwick: 100 Meadow Road, Warwick, RI 02886 (401-739-9530)

Westerly: 10 Canal Street, Westerly, RI 02891 (401-596-2081)

Woonsocket: 450 Clinton Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895 (401-235-6300)

You can also search the “Local Office Directory” on the DHS website (www.dhs.state.ri.us)