HONORING PARENTSCAN FAMILY CENTER

On 2026-04-27, Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA-4) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING PARENTSCAN FAMILY CENTER" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered taxes.

HONORING PARENTSCAN FAMILY CENTER

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 73 (Monday, April 27, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 73 (Monday, April 27, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E368] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING PARENTSCAN FAMILY CENTER ______ HON. MIKE THOMPSON of california in the house of representatives Monday, April 27, 2026 Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor ParentsCAN Family Center for its twenty years of service to children with disabilities in Napa County and to recognize the work it has done as the sole Family Resource Center of Napa Valley. This celebration honors the hard work of the staff, volunteers, and supporters that have helped transform countless lives across the Napa Valley. ParentsCAN was founded in 2005 by Joan Lockhart and a group of Napa parents, who had disabled children. These parents helped each other access services for their children by sharing information and referrals amongst themselves. Frustrated that our community did not already have an organization dedicated to the needs of disabled children in Napa, they decided to start their own. The organization gave high-quality, in-person support that was not available anywhere else in the Napa Valley. Beginning as a small group of concerned parents, they quickly grew into a large-scale organization that provided training, support groups, and community events tailored to the unique challenges faced by families in Napa County. ParentsCAN has provided critical support, education, and advocacy to ensure families have access to resources necessary for their children to thrive. They also work with local community-based organizations, like healthcare providers or social services, to ensure their clients receive high quality healthcare, education, and support structures. Families across the county have felt more confident navigating the complex services that are needed to provide for their children after working with ParentsCAN. Aside from connecting parents with resources, ParentsCAN actively works with the local government to improve institutions serving children with disabilities, making the Napa Valley a safer and more accessible place to live. ParentsCAN is unique and especially well-qualified due to its ``parents supporting parents'' model. This structure means that all trained staff are parents or close family to children with needs, ensuring that staff are knowledgeable, experienced, and able to easily help parents or caregivers. ParentsCAN is a federally funded Community Parent Resource Center and the only one of its kind in Napa Valley. It also represents the young disabled population of Napa in several local organizations like the Community Leaders Coalition, Voters Choice Napa, Napa Valley Committee on Disabilities, First 5 Napa County, Napa County Community Organizations Active in Disaster, and the Local Childcare planning Council. Mr. Speaker, ParentsCAN has had a tremendous impact on the well-being of children across our Napa community. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we honor the organization's twentieth anniversary here today as they celebrate this milestone. ____________________