Build your advocacy. Strengthen your leadership. Amplify your voice.

The PEAL Center’s Family Leadership Institute (FLI) is designed for parents and caregivers of children and young people with disabilities and special healthcare needs who want to become confident and informed leaders.

Through this interactive training series, participants will gain a deeper understanding of healthcare, education, and disability policies, and learn practical tools to increase the impact of their voice.

The goal: to promote meaningful, positive changes for children, young people, and families across Pennsylvania.

What You’ll Learn

FLI covers a wide range of essential topics, including:

Disability History
IEPs vs. Section 504 Plans
Pennsylvania Waivers
- Presented by the Pennsylvania Health Law Project
The PA Medical Home Project
- Presented by the Director of the PA Medical Home Project
Care Mapping
Dispute Resolution
And more

By joining FLI, you will:

Build confidence as an advocate
Understand your rights and learn how to navigate education, healthcare, and disability systems with clarity and purpose.
Gain practical, real-world tools
Learn strategies you can immediately apply to IEP meetings, care planning, dispute resolution, and policy conversations.
Develop leadership skills
Strengthen your ability to speak up, collaborate, and influence change at the individual, community, and systems levels.
Connect with other families
Join a supportive network of caregivers who share your experiences and are committed to creating positive change.
Make a lasting impact
Use your voice to improve outcomes not only for your own family, but for children, young people, and families across Pennsylvania.

Pre-Training Requirement

Before the first session, participants must complete The PEAL Center’s “Online IEP Academy”, which provides an in-depth, easy-to-understand breakdown of the IEP process.

The “IEP Academy” can be found here:
The PEAL Center – Helping Families of Children with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs