PEAK PARENT CENTER INC

REGION 5 PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER - PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 12 FEDERALLY FUNDED NONPROFIT PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTERS (PARENT CENTERS) IN A 10 STATE REGION. FOCUS IS TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO SERVE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND POSITIVELY IMPACT EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH ON-SITE VISITS; ONE TO ONE CONSULTATIONS WITH DIRECTORS; NEEDS ASSESSMENTS; CUSTOMIZED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; CONFERENCES, TELECONFERENCES, AND OTHER GROUP EVENTS FOR LEARNING; AND TRAINING ABOUT CURRENT AND EMERGING TOPICS INCLUDING: NON-PROFIT, GRANT MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAMMATIC ISSUES; USING TECHNOLOGY STRATEGICALLY TO MEET THEIR MISSION; GENERAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWS/REGULATIONS; EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES IN EDUCATION AND EARLY INTERVENTION; INCLUSION AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS; TRANSITIONS; OUTREACH TO UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS; ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS; PARTNERSHIPS WITH STATE POLICY MAKERS & STAKEHOLDERS, ETC.

PARENT TRAINING & INFORMATION CENTER -THE PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION PROGRAM HELPS FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN AGES BIRTH THROUGH 26, WITH ANY DISABILITY, TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR CHILDREN SO THEY WILL MEET DEVELOPMENTAL, FUNCTIONAL, AND CHALLENGING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR ALL CHILDREN. CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WILL LEAD PRODUCTIVE, INDEPENDENT ADULT LIVES AND SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES WILL BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. PEAK'S PTI PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH INCREASED STRATEGIES FOR INDIVIDUALIZED, CONCRETE ACTION STEPS THAT THEIR FAMILY CAN TAKE TO ADDRESS ISSUES THEY ARE FACING AND INCREASED KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES, RIGHTS, EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICES, AND THE NEED FOR COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION. SERVICES: PEAK'S PARENT ADVISORS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES BY PHONE, EMAIL, AND IN-PERSON, IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, DISCUSSING ISSUES, PROVIDING INFORMATION AND REFERRALS, REVIEWING INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS (IEPS) AND SENDING FOLLOW-UP RESOURCES. PARENT ADVISORS ARE VIEWED AS A LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES WHEN SITUATIONS SEEM OVERWHELMING AND UNMANAGEABLE. PEAK ALSO PROVIDES MORE THAN 50 CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ANNUALLY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND VIA WEBINARS, IN BOTH ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH, FOCUSING ON THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA) AND INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS (IEPS), ACCESS TO GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM, PROGRESS MONITORING, AND ADVOCACY. PEAK PUBLISHES AN ELECTRONIC BLOG ON IT'S WEBSITE WITH UP-TO-DATE, ACCURATE INFORMATION ON IDEA, ADVOCACY STRATEGIES, DISABILITIES, AND SELF-ADVOCACY. KEY ARTICLES ARE TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH. OTHER KEY SERVICES OF THE PTI PROJECT ARE A STATEWIDE CALENDAR OF PARENT ACTIVITIES, PARENT LIBRARY, PARENT OUTREACH CONNECTORS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND A PARENT LEADERSHIP COURSE.