The Paper Trail Notebook

The Paper Trail Notebook is an organizational tool developed by Stone Soup Group that has helped thousands offamilies collect and maintain their children's medical records, resources they find, educational and therapy history, milestones, and more. It is currently available to families at no charge, and is recommended by hospitals, clinics, therapists, and providers across the state.

What is the Paper Trail notebook?

We designed this notebook (with the input of many parents and service providers) to be an easy way for families to keep track of all the information they receive for and about their child with special health care needs. It should be useful for many years on the journey through childhood and beyond.

It provides a way to simplify record keeping and to store information about the many services available to families of children with special health care needs. Think of it as a place to collect and organize the important papers that accumulate as a child grows.

The Paper Trail notebook is divided into sections that make it easy to find what is needed quickly. By keeping current records and reports close at hand it may also cut down on the amount of time spent processing paperwork needed by programs and service providers with whom a family may be working.

Some hints from parents on getting the most out of the Paper Trail notebook:

	Take your notebook with you to all appointments
	Update the appropriate information in each section as you receive new information.
	Keep a calendar in the front of your notebook to log calls to and from health care and service providers or to keep track of troubling behaviors.
	When applying for new services, ask the program to copy the Iditaform (developmental history form) and other needed records, rather than having to rewrite your child's early history.
	Keep your notebook close to the phone so it's easy to access information when talking with health care and service providers.
	We encourage families to individualize their notebook by creating their own sections, rearranging the existing pages to meet their needs, and by personalizing it with drawings, stickers, photos, and special articles that they find helpful.

How can I get a Paper Trail notebook of my own?

Paper Trail notebooks are available to families of children with special health care needs of any age, through Infant Learning Programs throughout the state of Alaska. They may also be purchased directly from Stone Soup Group.

Please call us at (907) 561-3701 or email us at: ssg@stonesoupgroup.org for more information.

Creation of the Paper Trail notebook would not have been possible without the generous support of the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special Education and the State of Alaska, Section of Maternal, Child and Family Health.