Parents Education Network and CHC Join Forces—Expands Best-in-Industry ADHD and Learning Differences Education and Support Services
Palo Alto, CA July 18, 2017—Renowned nonprofit agencies Parents Education Network (PEN) of San Francisco and CHC of Palo Alto have announced they will officially join forces on August 1, 2017. All of PEN’s signature programs will become part of CHC adding to its comprehensive range of education and mental health services to families across the Bay Area. PEN services include parent education, parent support groups, Student Advisors for Education (SAFE) and the EdRev Conference at AT&T Park in San Francisco in April. There will be no leadership changes to CHC as a result of this combination, and all PEN programs will be incorporated into CHC’s Community Education and Engagement division. The resulting partnership will offer more services to more families of children and teens with learning and attention differences across a wider geographic area.
“We are inspired by the opportunities ahead,” said CHC Executive Director, Dr. Rosalie Whitlock. “Both CHC and PEN have outstanding communities of parents, teachers and donors who care deeply about helping children, teens, young adults and families facing ADHD, LD, Anxiety & Depression and Autism. Our missions are strongly aligned and we have been working together for several years since LD and ADHD have always been very important to CHC. Sand Hill School at CHC is a strong example of that commitment. Its mission is to serve the needs of kids with dyslexia and other learning differences and Sand Hill administrators and teachers are experts in these areas. Our commitment to LD and ADHD is further evidenced by our well-known clinical services where we provide child-centered expert evaluations, therapy and medication. Now, by adding PEN programs, we can help many more kids and families and go far beyond the walls of Sand Hill School and CHC.
“We are inspired by the opportunities ahead,” said CHC Executive Director, Dr. Rosalie Whitlock.
Jenna Ellis, Chair of PEN’s Board of Directors, stated, “CHC and PEN share very similar missions. We are so excited that the PEN mission and programs will continue to grow within an organization that has such a positive reputation and strong presence in our community. Bringing PEN and CHC together accomplishes our long term strategic plan to grow and scale our services. We see many clear advantages for PEN families, especially in the area of learning and attention differences. Now more families across the Peninsula and San Francisco will have even greater access to a broader range of services.”
PEN was founded in San Francisco in 2003 by a group of parents of children with learning and attention differences after they struggled to find the information, services and expertise they needed to help their children succeed academically and socially. These parents, along with a selected group of educators and specialists, developed a model of child-centered collaboration between parents and teachers focused on strengths and self-advocacy as primary tools of success for kids with learning and attention difficulties. PEN has evolved into the organization known today for its annual Education Revolution Conference (EdRev) in San Francisco, Student Advisors for Education (SAFE) program for teens, parent support groups and parent education services based on the most current neuroscience of learning. Over the last 14 years, PEN has served more than 20,000 parents, educators, students and schools with these educational programs and workshops, including more than 10,000 participants at EdRev.
CHC has been part of the Bay Area community for 65 years impacting close to 1 million children and families and becoming one of the most respected education and mental health nonprofits on the Peninsula. CHC provides special programs and services for children, teens, young adults and families facing ADHD, LD, Anxiety & Depression and Autism through its schools, clinical services, community education and focus on the underserved. The agency hosts an Annual CHC Breakfast that brings together over 400 parents and features well-known speakers to highlight issues of critical importance for raising children and teens. They also stage the Rocktoberfest event each year which raises $400,000 for CHC programs and the underserved. Their program of parent, teacher and professional education draws more than 2500 guests each year. During the past 18 months, CHC has been influential in tackling teen mental health issues through expanded therapy and community education services and the launch of an Intensive Outpatient Program for high school students. CHC is consistently rated highly by clients on Greatnonprofits.org and holds a Platinum rating from Guidestar, an information service reporting on U.S. nonprofit organizations.
As PEN and CHC join forces, families will have access to comprehensive support that now includes: two specialized schools, evaluations, therapy, parent education, parent support groups, the EdRev Conference, continued support for students through the SAFE program and teacher and behavioral healthcare professional education. Dr. Whitlock added, “As a single organization combining our efforts and leveraging strengths, we will have even greater impact on our immediate community and we’ll be able to extend our reach even further. It’s a win-win for everyone, and most importantly, for the kids and families who rely on both of our agencies for support. We look forward to this exciting opportunity to serve more kids and families.”
For more information, please see these FAQs. Additional information will be posted at chconline.org as it becomes available, or email to PEN@stage.chconline.org with specific questions.
About CHC
CHC is a nonprofit agency that has been serving children, teens and young adults in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties as well as the greater San Francisco Bay Area for nearly 65 years. The goal of the agency is to remove barriers to learning regardless of language, location, learning style or ability to pay. The agency specializes in Anxiety & Depression, ADHD, Learning Differences, and Autism with its two schools, CHC Clinical Services and Community Education and Engagement. www.chconline.org
Media Contacts: Micaelia Randolph, 707-933-7332, mrandolph@stage.chconline.org
Yvonne Wolters, 650-867-7929, gbheron@mac.com
