Support PPAL throught
your donation today!
COMECC # 700554
Combined Federal
Campaign #11595
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Featured Event
Juvenile Justice
Youth MOVE
Multicultural Outreach
Training and Support groups
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Monthly Poll
Our February poll will be up soon. Stay tuned to our
website for updates:
Results from last month's poll:
In what area does the sitgma of mental health challenges affect you the most?
0% Home
33% Community
22% School
6% Employment
39% All of the above
0% None of the above
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Quick Links
Donate Now
Join Our Email List!
Support Group Listings
Youth M.O.V.E.
More About PPAL
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Statewide Meeting
February 9, 2016 Statewide Meeting
Presenter- Amy Mandrala
Topic: Eating Disorders
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Joan Mikula
Thanks to our January 12th Statewide Presenter, Joan Mikula, for teaching us!
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Contact Us
Parent/ Professional
Advocacy League
Statewide Office-Boston
15 Court Square
Suite 660
Boston, MA 02108
Toll Free: (866) 815-8122
Fax: (617) 542-7832
Central Ma Office
(Worcester)
40 Southbridge Street
Suite 310
Worcester, MA 01608
Tel: (508) 767-9725
Fax: (508) 767-9727
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PPAL's Executive Director goes National
Haven't read January's blogs yet? Click
here for "911,411,Mass 2-1-1: which one do you pick" by PPAL's Meridith Viano and another blog post "Why can't a strength remain a strength."
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Knowledge is Powerful - One Family's Experience
On October 14, 2015, PPAL's Outreach Coordinator Norma P. Mora presented "Crisis Planning Training" in Spanish to a group of parents/caregivers in East Boston. After attending the training, one of the parents reached out to a friend of hers whose grandson
was struggling in school as a result of learning disabilities
to tell her what she had learned. The child's caregiver Ana
called PPAL for help. Norma received the call and
within 2 days
was able to meet with Ana
in person at the family's home to discuss the family's needs and
most significant concerns. Norma helped the family access CBHI services, and the Emergency Service Program in particular.
Shortly thereafter, the family had a referral for in-home therapy and an introduction to a free legal service for support with their child's legal issues with the school. In addition, Ana attended a training on Mental Health and the  IEP given in Spanish by PPAL earlier this month before attending their child's IEP meeting at his new school scheduled for the day after the training. Ana was able to advocate for her child at this meeting and agreed to an IEP that would meet the child's needs. Ana reported to PPAL that she was thrilled to have taken tangible steps in supporting her child's learning needs, and that it was "comforting knowing all the steps in the process." Knowledge is truly powerful!
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Success in Juvenile Justice Outreach Continues
Juvenile Justice 101, a revised training from PPAL, has built amazing enthusiasm in the community! PPAL conducted two trainings in January to remarkable groups of parents. The goals of the training are to explain to parents, understand what it means to enter a court, what the juvenile landscape in Massachusetts looks like, how to make sense of the court's alphabet soup, and most importantly, how to keep read more.
PPAL is looking for a new family support specialist in Western Mass. If you know a parent or are interested in doing outreach and connection with families and you are a parent of child with emotional, behavioral and or mental health needs, please contact
[email protected]
or
[email protected]
. This position is ten hours per.
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Congratulations and thank you, Jack!
Jack has been an intern and volunteer with PPAL for almost 5 years now.
The Central Mass Office held a celebratory lunch to show
appreciation for all that he does and to celebrate his new job. He will continue to be a volunteer when he has the time. We are thrilled he will still be a part of our PPAL family!
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YOUTH MOVE!
Youth MOVE Massachusetts is off to a great start this 2016!
Join us at any one of these upcoming events - FREE to youth and young adults ages 13+! We meet in Worcester at 40 Southbridge St, Suite 310." Contact Lydia Proulx
[email protected] or Chandra Watts
[email protected] for more info!
Every
Tuesday: HOPE Youth Group in Worcester, MA!
5-6:30pm. FREE for Youth ages 13-19. Find support and make new friends!
1st and 3rd Thursdays: YAYA Young Adults Group in Worcester, MA!
5-6:30pm. FREE for young adults ages 17-27. Find support, learn new skills, and meet new people!
Special guest group meetings and guest speakers coming up are:
Feb 2nd Tyrone from Bottom Line college prep and support program will be joining the HOPE youth group to talk about the college application process!
February 4th
: What's Therapy All About? With Helen Turano. Learn what CBT, ACT, and DBT therapy strategies are, and which might be helpful for you.
February 16th and 18th
: Consent, Relationships, and Healthy Dating with the Get Real Teen Council (Same workshop for both groups)
  We also had Maria from the Worcester Animal Rescue League visit with some four legged friends to talk about how the shelter works, what to expect when you adopt, and how youth and young adults can help.
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~ PPAL Trainings & Events ~
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Mental Health and the IEP (Southeast)
Date: Tue. 2/23/2016
Time: 6:30 - 8pm
Location: Dartmouth High School
555 Bakerville Rd.
Dartmouth, MA 02748
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Parent-to-Parent Work Group for Children with an Individual Educational Plan (IEP)
Date:
Tue. 2/16/2016 and
Tue. 3/15/2016
Time:
11- 1pm
Location: PPAL
40 Southbridge St. Ste. 310, Worcester, MA 01608
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Brown Bag Lunch Get-Together for Adoptive Parents who have children with RAD
Date:
Wed. 2/10/2016
Time: 12 noon
Location:
PPAL
40 Southbridge St. Suite 310
Worcester, MA 01608
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Transitional Youth Parent Support Group
Date: 1st Thurs. @ 12- 1:30pm and 3rd Thurs. @ 5:30 - 7:30pm
Location: Hyde Park Library
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Parent/ Caregiver Support Group
Date: 1st and 3rd Thurs. @ 5:30 - 7pm
Location: Bellingham Public Library
100 Blackstone St.
Bellingham, MA 02019
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Focus on Transition Aged Youth
Date: 1st and 3rd Wed.
Location: InSync Communication Center
1 Beverly Drive (rte. 12)
Sterling, MA 01564
RSVP: Anne Hurst at ahurst
@ppal.net
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Focus on Transition Aged Youth
Date: 1st and 3rd Thurs.
40 Southbridge St. Suite 310
Worcester, MA 01608
RSVP: Rick Benoit at rbenoit
@ppal.net
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Parent Support
Date: 2nd and 4th Thurs. @ 5:30 - 7:30pm
40 Southbridge St. Suite 310
Worcester, MA 01608
RSVP:
508-767-9725
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Focus on Transition Ages Youth (Spanish)
Date: 2nd Wed. @ 10 - 11:30am
Springfield, MA
RSVP: Elena Szela at eszela
@ppal.net
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Focus on Transition Age Youth (Spanish)
Date: 4th Wed. @ 6:30 - 8:30pm
Location: 537 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA
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New Support Group Launches:
PPAL is excited to start our new AFT online support group that will be meeting once a month for parents that are unable to make it our in person groups. The group will meet online, you can use your computer's camera to see other members at the meeting. We will meet on the 4th Sunday of each month starting in January, 2016. Dates for upcoming meetings are:
February 28, 2016
March 27, 2016
April 24, 2016
All meetings will take place from 9:00 - 10:00 pm. Please contact Kristen Solaras or [email protected] or (508)767-9725 for information on how to join the next group meeting.
Stay Tuned...
As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, PPAL will be revisiting 3 survey topics we have asked about over the last 15 years: access to care in the community, medication management and stigma. Look for these surveys and please respnd! We need your help to identify current trends and potential changes in practices or perspectives over time.
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