Parents with Purpose

Parents with Purpose

Alternating each month the Local Task Force meeting has joined with PWP.

The Parents With Purpose is a workgroup for parents of school-age students with disabilities.  Directed by The Arc of Indiana County the Local Task Force on the Right to Education of Armstrong and Indiana counties. The purpose of the workgroup is to provide parents with support, education, and advocacy.  For more about the Local Task Force on the Right to Education, visit the organization’s website by clicking  HERE.

The workgroup meets every fourth Monday at 6:30 PM.  The workgroup will meet in person at The Arc in the future and is currently available on Zoom. The workgroup will always have the Zoom feature available even when in-person resumes. For the link to the Zoom, meeting contact the office at 724-34-8230 or email mjordan@arcindiana.org. 

The Workgroup is made up of parents, educators, service providers, and governmental agency personnel. The workgroup offers guidance to parents of students with disabilities that are making the transition from any educational setting to a different one, with an emphasis on the transition from high school to post-secondary education, employment, and community living. The workgroup provides advocacy support with everything from the IEP process to community inclusiveness and issues with employment or independent living discrimination. 

What Parents With Purpose provides:

  • Provides on-going mini-workshops, trainings to assist in transition, Special Education and advocacy.
  • Provides advocacy assistance/mentoring for parents of students.
  • Provides an opportunity for parents to discuss advocacy, transition, and educational issues with other parents and agencies identifying barriers an creating action plans and positive solutions.
  • Provides a one-stop shop platform for parents to network with service providers, state and govermental agencies, organizations and each other assisting with every level of a students educational journey.

TOPICS ADDRESSED: Advocacy,  Understanding the IEP, Secondary Transition, Work Benefits, Supports Coordination, Self-Advocacy, Disability Awareness, Special Education Law,  Post -Secondary Education & Training Opportunities, Preparing for life after school, and  Promoting Independence.

Child care will be provided by verified volunteers who have successfully completed background checks.   We can also provide gas cards for people attending the in-person meeting to assist with transportation.  

Click here for a full brochure on this program

Past Meeting Recordings below:

Agencies To Help With Transition, Advocacy, and Education

  1. Armstrong-Indiana Intermediate Unit (ARIN IU-28)
  2. ICW Vocational Services, Inc. (Indiana Co.)
  3. Progressive Workshop, Inc. (Armstrong Co.)
  4. Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
  5. Community Guidance Center (Indiana Co.)
  6. Family Counseling Center (Armstrong Co.)
  7. Career TRACK (Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana Counties)
  8. Armstrong-Indiana Behavioral and Developmental Health Program (AIBDHP)
  9. Social Security Administration (SSA)
  10. Department of Human Services (DHS)
  11. The Arc of Indiana County

For more information or if you would like to be involved with this Workgroup, please contact The Arc of Indiana County.

Arc of Indiana County
120 North 5th Street, Suite #2
Indiana, PA  15701
Phone: (724) 349-8230
Contact us via email

Funding is provided by the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust