What is TLC Family Connect?
Navigating intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) services can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone.
TLC Family Connect offers free, personalized guidance, trusted referrals and one-on-one support to help families understand available services and connect with providers across seven North Carolina counties.
Whether you’re just getting started or looking for additional support, our Family Navigators are here to help. Complete the intake form below and a member of our team will contact you.
Contact
Ruth Garfinkel
familyconnect@nctlc.org
(984) 335-0901
Location
739 Chappell Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606
Monday-Friday
9 am-5 pm
All ages served
Free service
We’re Here to Help You
Caring for a child or adult with I/DD can come with a wide range of emotions, questions, and responsibilities. TLC Family Connect walks alongside families and caregivers with guidance, resources, and connections that can help make services easier to navigate, reduce uncertainty, and connect individuals with I/DD to the support they need.
What We Offer
Whether you’re just getting started or have years of experience, we help families and caregivers:
- Understand and access local I/DD services
- Receive personalized guidance from Family Navigators
- Connect with family advocates and peers who have lived experience
- Get referrals for other needs like food, housing or transportation
- Find trusted providers, programs and community resources
- Connect with the TLC team at community events and outreach opportunities
Who We Serve
Families and caregivers of children or adults with I/DD in Wake, Durham, Johnston, Orange, Harnett, Mecklenburg, and Cumberland counties in North Carolina.
What Makes TLC Family Connect Unique?
- Personalized family navigation: One-on-one guidance to help you understand your options and access the right supports.
- Local connections: Partnerships with trusted providers, community organizations, and family advocates.
- Easy access to information: Clear answers, practical resources and useful tools without the jargon.
- Peer family support: Connections with individuals and families who have lived experience and can offer encouragement, understanding and practical guidance.
- Community engagement: Opportunities to connect with TLC's team at local events and gatherings throughout the communities we serve.
Connect Families. Building Community.
Meaningful connections can make all the difference. TLC Family Connect works alongside families, caregivers, service providers and community partners to help individuals with I/DD and their loved ones find resources, build relationships and feel supported.
Our team regularly participates in community events, resource fairs and outreach opportunities to share information, answer questions and connect families with available services.
Together, we’re working to:
- Build meaningful connections between families, caregivers and community organizations.
- Elevate the voices and experiences of individuals and families navigating I/DD services.
- Increase awareness of available resources, services and supports.
- Strengthen community partnerships that help families access the information and assistance they need.
Invite TLC Family Connect to Your Event
Hosting a community event, resource fair or gathering for families and caregivers? We’d love to connect.
The TLC Family Connect team participates in community events throughout the seven counties we serve, sharing resources, answering questions and helping families learn more about available I/DD services and supports.
Organizations, service providers and community partners are welcome to request a Family Connect team member to attend an upcoming event.
Interested in having TLC Family Connect participate?
Email familyconnect@nctlc.org with your event details, including the date, location and type of event. Our team will follow up to discuss availability.
Family Navigation
Not sure where to start? Our Family Navigators are here to help.
TLC Family Connect offers free, one-on-one guidance to individuals, families and caregivers navigating I/DD services. Many of our Family Navigators bring lived experience to their work and understand how overwhelming it can feel to find the right support. We support families facing both financial and non-financial barriers to accessing services.
Whether you’re exploring available programs, searching for trusted providers or looking for additional community resources, our team can help you understand your options and identify next steps. We also offer space to share about your family’s unique circumstances, strengths, and needs with real humans who understand what you’re experiencing.
Fill out our intake form below to connect with our team.
Resources for Families and Caregivers
CONNECT TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES
- Inclusion Connects community living guide is a NCDHHS initiative to connect people with I/DD to more choices and more access to services and supports.
- Alliance Health offers mental health, developmental disability and substance use disorder services to children and adults through a network of community providers in Wake, Durham, Johnston, Cumberland, Mecklenburg, Orange and Harnett counties. Or call 800-510-9132 Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Work Together NC offers an online search tool to check out the variety of services available for specific needs. Services for each county are organized into regions based on Local Management Entities (LME) and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
- NCCare360 offers a free online tool from NC 211 to search for resources near you. Type in what you’re looking for and where you live to access NCCARE360’s directory of providers and service organizations across North Carolina. Or dial 2-1-1 or (888) 892-1162 available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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First in Families of North Carolina empowers communities and helps families thrive with practical support, creative solutions, and lasting connections.
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The Autism Society of North Carolina improves the lives of individuals with autism, supports their families, and educates communities.
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The Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) is an organization dedicated to empowering North Carolina families and improving the lives of children with disabilities and/or special health care needs.
CONNECT TO FAMILY AND CAREGIVER SUPPORTS
Connect with other families and caregivers through support groups, one-on-one connections, and more.
- The Family Support Network of North Carolina enhances the lives of children who have disabilities, mental health challenges, and special healthcare needs by providing parent to parent support, education, and caring connections to their families.
- We Will Walk With You helps families with children with disabilities thrive in the community through support groups, quality of life outcome planning, social activities, and other resource support.
CONNECT TO ADVOCACY
Learn about advocacy and how to share your voice for your family, your child or adult family member, yourself, and others in the disability community.
- North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates to ensure that people with I/DD and their families participate in the design of and have access to community services.
- Ability Leadership Project-North Carolina offers leadership training for adults with I/DD, family members of children and adults with I/DD, or professionals in the I/DD field. ALP-NC prepares individuals to be effective advocates.
- Leadership Alliance for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LAND) ensures that people with neurodevelopmental disabilities have full access to services that can help them with independent living, transition to employment, academic interventions, opportunity for social interactions, and overall improved mental health and well-being throughout the lifespan.
CONNECT TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES
- Inclusion Connects community living guide is a NCDHHS initiative to connect people with I/DD to more choices and more access to services and supports.
- Alliance Health offers mental health, developmental disability and substance use disorder services to children and adults through a network of community providers in Wake, Durham, Johnston, Cumberland, Mecklenburg, Orange and Harnett counties. Or call 800-510-9132 Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Work Together NC offers an online search tool to check out the variety of services available for specific needs. Services for each county are organized into regions based on Local Management Entities (LME) and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
- NCCare360 offers a free online tool from NC 211 to search for resources near you. Type in what you’re looking for and where you live to access NCCARE360’s directory of providers and service organizations across North Carolina. Or dial 2-1-1 or (888) 892-1162 available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
-
First in Families of North Carolina empowers communities and helps families thrive with practical support, creative solutions, and lasting connections.
-
The Autism Society of North Carolina improves the lives of individuals with autism, supports their families, and educates communities.
-
The Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) is an organization dedicated to empowering North Carolina families and improving the lives of children with disabilities and/or special health care needs.
CONNECT TO FAMILY AND CAREGIVER SUPPORTS
Connect with other families and caregivers through support groups, one-on-one connections, and more.
- The Family Support Network of North Carolina enhances the lives of children who have disabilities, mental health challenges, and special healthcare needs by providing parent to parent support, education, and caring connections to their families.
- We Will Walk With You helps families with children with disabilities thrive in the community through support groups, quality of life outcome planning, social activities, and other resource support.
CONNECT TO ADVOCACY
Learn about advocacy and how to share your voice for your family, your child or adult family member, yourself, and others in the disability community.
- North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities collaborates to ensure that people with I/DD and their families participate in the design of and have access to community services.
- Ability Leadership Project-North Carolina offers leadership training for adults with I/DD, family members of children and adults with I/DD, or professionals in the I/DD field. ALP-NC prepares individuals to be effective advocates.
- Leadership Alliance for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LAND) ensures that people with neurodevelopmental disabilities have full access to services that can help them with independent living, transition to employment, academic interventions, opportunity for social interactions, and overall improved mental health and well-being throughout the lifespan.
