The SPAN Resource Parent (SRP) Program is an intensive training program designed to educate volunteers to help parents of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs to understand their rights and responsibilities under federal and state laws.
System Oversight, Infrastructure and Organization
During the 8-week virtual SRP Program, participants learn strategies for how to obtain appropriate educational programs and related services for children and youth. Attendees, both parents and professionals, are provided with extensive training and ongoing support to help them understand the dynamics of the systems that serve children with disabilities and special healthcare needs.
Topics include:
- Federal and State Laws and Regulations
- Basic Rights in Special Education
- Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
- Measurable Goals and High Expectations in the LRE
- Positive Behavior Supports and Discipline
- Transition to Adulthood
- Health Advocacy
- Systems/Policy Advocacy and Leadership Skills
Resource Allocation
The SRP Program has a free option for those willing to volunteer 30 hours to SPAN during the year following completion of the 8-week program. Volunteer opportunities are provided on a regular basis, and participants can choose the opportunities that work for them. If a parent or professional is not able to or does not wish to volunteer, they can still attend the training for a fee of $350.
Program Access & Delivery
The 8 week-program is currently offered virtually three times per year. The program is offered in Spanish once per year. If a participant misses one of the topics, they can make it up at a future training course.
Qualifications & Selection
The SRP Program accepts up to 35 participants in each virtual session (fewer in the Spanish session). Many of the participants who complete the SRP Program take the SEVA course where skills are developed, and the foundational knowledge learned in SRP is applied. Once a person completes the SEVA course, they are eligible to provide individual assistance to a few families per year and receive a stipend for providing that service.
Jeannine Brinkley
jbrinkley@spanadvocacy.org
412-953-8067