The Oklahoma Parents Center - The OPC is a statewide 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Oklahoma; they provide support and services to all of Oklahoma. Their mission is to train, inform, educate, and support parents, families, professionals, and consumers in building partnerships that meet the needs of children and youth with a full range of disabilities ages birth through twenty-six.
The OPC is proud to be Oklahoma’s designated Parent Training and Information Center (PTI). There is at least one PTI in each state and U.S. Territory and some states have more than one depending on population size; Oklahoma only has one PTI, which we have operated since 2008. The purpose of a PTI is to ensure that parents of children with disabilities and youth with disabilities receive training and information to help improve educational results for themselves or their children. Our role is to help families and schools to understand the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how to use it to benefit children with all disabilities.
The OPC staff will equip you with the tools you need to understand the system, work with service providers and schools, and advocate for your student or yourself. Their staff is mostly parents or family members of people with disabilities and self-advocates, so they know the journey. Their specialists have the background and information to assist in sorting through the issues and putting them in perspective. The services of OPC are provided at no charge to families.
The Pervasive Parenting Center - The Pervasive Parenting Center is a not-for-profit organization made up of families, local educators, community leaders, and healthcare professionals. They strive to provide a better life for the families in eastern Oklahoma who are coping with disabilities because they work and live with those same issues every day. Their passion is to provide assistance to families in eastern Oklahoma affected by autism and other disabilities. They also work with families in schools to help them understand their rights, and advocate to make sure they are receiving the services they need. This includes advocating in Individual Education Program (IEP) Meetings. The services of PPC are provided at no charge to families.
The Arc of Oklahoma - The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) lays out a process that schools must follow to identify which children with disabilities require services and which supports and services a child requires. We can help families learn more about the special education process and the rights that students and their families have in that process.
Our expert staff will assist families and advocates in navigating the special education system, including understanding IDEA and early intervention services, IEPs, and Section 504. For more information, contact Sherilyn at swalton@thearcok.org. The services of The Arc of Oklahoma are provided at no charge to families.