Parent Empowerment Program (PEP)
The Parent Empowerment Program equips family peer advocates with the knowledge and skills to navigate the mental health system — and help other families do the same.
Request Program DetailsWHO IT’S FOR
Built for Parents and Caregivers Who Support Other Families on the Same Journey
PEP is designed for family peer advocates — parents or caregivers of children with mental health challenges who support other families facing similar struggles. PEP is typically organized by healthcare or school systems whose staff want to strengthen caregivers’ ability to advocate effectively for their children.
The Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) trains family peer advocates to help other families get the care their child needs. Participants learn about the latest advances in diagnosis, treatment, and services for children with mental health conditions and how to navigate the systems that shape access to that care, from mental health services to schools.
PEP has two components:
- A five-day interactive seminar that builds the knowledge, skills, and confidence to support other families effectively.
- 12 follow-up group calls — held twice a week for six months — to deepen learning and sustain practice.
All participants receive a comprehensive family empowerment manual and materials.
Specialized tracks in child welfare and juvenile justice are available for programs supporting parents and staff working with children in these systems.
PEP covers:
Problem-identification and priority-setting skills
Engagement, listening, and boundary-setting skills
Group management skills
Mental health evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment
Navigating the mental healthcare system
School systems and special education options
Schedule a Group Training
REACH offers customized training for groups of 15 or more.
Request Program DetailsPEP Questions Answered
Everything families, peer advocates, and program organizers need to know about PEP.
The Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) is a REACH training designed for family peer advocates — parents and caregivers of children with mental health challenges who support other families in similar situations. PEP equips participants with clinical knowledge, advocacy skills, and practical tools to help families get the care their children need and deserve.
PEP is for parents and caregivers of children with mental health conditions who work in a peer advocate role — supporting other families navigating diagnosis, treatment, and systems like healthcare and schools. PEP is typically organized by healthcare systems, school districts, or community organizations that want to strengthen family advocacy in their community.
PEP covers the critical knowledge and skills peer advocates need — including problem-identification and priority-setting, engagement, listening and boundary-setting, group management, mental health evaluation, diagnosis and treatment, the mental healthcare system, and school systems and special education options. Participants also receive a comprehensive family empowerment manual and ready-to-use materials.
PEP consists of two components: a five-day interactive seminar, followed by 12 follow-up consultation calls held twice a week over six months. The full program is designed to build knowledge during the seminar and reinforce implementation through sustained consultation support over time.
PEP is delivered to groups of 15 or more and is organized through REACH’s group training infrastructure. Healthcare systems, school systems, and community organizations can schedule and host a PEP training for their community. Contact REACH’s group training team to discuss scheduling and delivery format.
Yes. REACH offers specialized PEP programs tailored for child welfare and juvenile justice settings — designed to help parents and staff work together to address the mental health needs of children involved in those systems. Specialized tracks are available as part of group training arrangements and can be customized to your organization’s needs.
All PEP participants receive a high-quality family empowerment manual and supporting materials — practical, ready-to-use resources that help peer advocates apply their learning and support other families with confidence.
Visit REACH’s Group Training page to learn more about scheduling a PEP for your group. PEP is available for groups of 15 or more and can be organized by healthcare systems, schools, and community organizations. Our team will work with you to find the right format and timeline.
Yes. Join the PEP waitlist to be notified when new training dates or group opportunities become available. You can sign up directly on this page.
Still Have Questions?
Our team is ready to help, whether you’re a parent, a peer advocate, or
an organization looking to bring PEP to your community.
Additional Resources
Explore more courses
Residents Education in Anxiety, Depression & Suicidality (READS)
Autism Essentials: Identify, Evaluate, Support
Treatment for Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Addressing Trauma in Pediatric Primary Care
Find the Right Training for You
Browse evidence-based training for primary care
clinicians, mental health clinicians, school support staff,
and healthcare organizations across the U.S.
Better Mental Health Care Starts Here.
Get the latest research, training updates, and practical tools
delivered to your inbox. Join thousands of clinicians working to
improve pediatric mental health outcomes.
Follow us on LinkedIn
Ready to join the 9,500+ clinicians who've completed REACH training? The Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP) program equips pediatric primary care clinicians with practical, evidence-based skills to assess, diagnose, manage, and treat common…
We're proud to share that REACH CEO Lisa Hunter Romanelli, Ph.D., recently joined the We Are For Good podcast as part of their Stories That Fill the Hope Gap series. In the episode titled "Lead With…
Two leading mental health researchers recently highlighted REACH's work in an editorial published in Psychiatric Services (American Psychiatric Association), underscoring the growing recognition of our approach to expanding access to pediatric mental health care. Reflecting on…
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, an opportunity to recognize the unique mental health challenges that many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities face. BIPOC youth and adults have a right to culturally responsive, evidence-based…
GET IN TOUCH