Parent Training and Information Centers

Barbara's Story

Barbara works for the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) in her state. She is also the parent of a 17-year-old daughter who has multiple disabilities. Barbara loves to help other parents. She understands what they are going through. Everyday she gives many families who have children with disabilities help, hope, and a lot of information.

On this day, Barbara's first call is from a new parent who thinks her eight-month-old son may need early intervention services. Barbara gives her the number for the early intervention office in her area. She sends her information about early intervention services and about the PTI, too. She also gives her information on a local parent support group.

The next call is from a social worker at a local elementary school. She wants to know if someone at the PTI can help a parent who only speaks Spanish. Barbara gives her the name of one of the Spanish-speaking staff members and information on how to contact her.

Then, Barbara places a call to a parent she talked to last week. Barbara needed to do some research to get all the information this mom needed. Now that she's gathered the information, she's ready to share it with her. Barbara also has written information she can send her.

Another call comes from a dad who is really worried. His son is repeating 2nd grade and has been getting help after school. Even so, the boy is struggling in class. The school wants to evaluate him for a disability. Dad wants to know what this means. He wants to help his son, but he's worried about having him tested. Barbara spends a lot of time talking with this dad. She reassures him about the testing, explaining that it will help the school learn if his son has any special needs. If so, then the school will be able to provide his son with the services that can help him succeed. She explains the special education process and his child's rights. She also tells him about the PTI's upcoming workshops and the ones that might be especially helpful to him. With the information that she gives, he is better informed and feels more confident about having his child evaluated.

These are just some of the calls Barbara encounters every day. Parents call the PTI wanting to know about disability information, educational options, school services, respite services, assistive technology, sources for funding, behavior plans, transition planning—just about anything and everything they might need to know to help their child who has a disability.

What is a Parent Training Information Center?

A Parent Training and Information Center—or PTI—is a terrific information resource for parents of children with disabilities. Every state has at least one PTI. Each one has a different name. For example, one of the PTIs in California is named Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center. The PTI in New Hampshire is called the Parent Information Center. Whatever the actual name, each is commonly known as a PTI. Some states also have Community Parent Resource Centers, or CPRCs. CPRCs do the same work as the PTIs, but they focus on reaching underserved parents of children with disabilities, who live in specific areas of the state, including low-income parents, parents of children with limited English proficiency, and parents with disabilities. PTIs and CPRCs are funded through our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As you can probably guess from their name, their purpose is to provide parents with information and training about: