The Parents' Place of Maryland

04/18/2026

April is the !

Did you know PPMD provides services and support to military families?

If you are a military family in Maryland, or you are moving to Maryland, contact us for support regarding your child's education, health, or behavioral health! https://www.ppmd.org/contact/

If you are a military family moving to another state, you can find your parent center here: https://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/

04/17/2026

! Check out one of our newest fact sheets to help you ask important questions during your child's IEP meeting:

https://www.ppmd.org/resource/questions-families-should-ask-in-an-iep-meeting/

04/17/2026

🎉 Congratulations, Rene Averitt-Sanzone! 🎉

We are proud to celebrate Rene Averitt-Sanzone, PPMD's Executive Director, on receiving the Alma Troccoli Award for Excellence in Advocating for the Mental Health Needs of Young Children and Their Families, presented by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry on April 16, 2026.

This well-deserved recognition honors Rene’s unwavering dedication to strengthening mental health supports for young children and elevating the voices of families across Maryland. Her leadership, compassion, and advocacy continue to make a meaningful impact every day.

Congratulations, Rene — we are so grateful to work alongside you! 💙

Rene is photographed alone in the first photo in a dark dress holding up her award. In the second photo, Rene is in the middle with award and is photographed with Kay Connors (Executive Director, Taghi Modaressi Center for Infant Study, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) and Brijan M. Fellows, LCSW-C, PMH-C, IMH-E (Program Director, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine).

04/16/2026

The Maryland Department of Health wants your feedback!

As part of the department's ongoing commitment to transparency and continuous improvement, they are seeking your input on how they communicate and engage with stakeholders. Your feedback will help the Maryland Dept. of Health better understand what’s working well and where they can improve. The survey should take only a few minutes to complete, and your responses will be kept confidential.

Take the survey now:

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

04/15/2026

This month's workshop will discuss mental wellness for youth with !

Date: April 20, 2026
Time: 10:30 - 11:30am
Virtual (Zoom)

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/yk8lPec2SOS3Kyb-CH83Gg #/registration

04/15/2026

The "Help Responders Help You" initiative focuses on teaching individuals and families how to create and maintain an emergency health profile on their mobile devices or online. This profile contains vital information about a person’s health and specific needs, which can be shared with first responders when a 9-1-1 call is placed.

Read more below!

Email from Maryland Department of Disabilities "Help First Responders Help You"   PRESS RELEASE Maryland Agencies Launch "Help Responders Help You" Campaign to Improve Emergency Response for Marylande

04/11/2026

Come out to the ballgame with PPMD!

★ Baltimore Orioles vs. Philadelphia Phillies tickets
★ Frederick Keys vs. Hudson Valley Renegades tickets
★ A portion of your ticket cost will be donated to PPMD
★ Have fun with other families AND raise money to fund PPMD’s free family services

Click here to get Orioles tickets: https://www.tfaforms.com/5215955

Click here to get Keys tickets: https://www.tfaforms.com/5215979

The Parents’ Place of Maryland is hosting not one but TWO fundraisers with Maryland baseball teams: The Frederick Keys and the Baltimore Orioles!

Bring your family out to the ballgame to:
- Meet other families
- Raise funds for PPMD’s family peer support services
- Cheer on your favorite team
- Show your support for Maryland families of loved ones with disabilities, special healthcare needs, and behavioral health needs

Click here to get Orioles tickets: https://www.tfaforms.com/5215955

Click here to get Keys tickets: https://www.tfaforms.com/5215979

04/10/2026

The newest World of Possibilities Magazine has been released! It is FILLED with resources for Maryland's disability community.

Check out our article on page 12!

World of Possibilities Magazine Brought to you by Caring Communities Our Exciting Online Flip-Book Publication Over 90 pages of shareable resources, lifestyle features, tips and stories for the disabilities community! How To Use This Flip-Book Click button on magazine cover to open in fullscreen vie...

04/09/2026

Does your child receive special education services in Cecil County, MD? Join us on Friday, April 17th for a FREE IEP Refresher and Care Binder Workshop! Walk away feeling confident, organized, and empowered!

In this workshop you will:
Learn the basics of the Maryland IEP
Build a care binder to organize your child's records
Strengthen your advocacy skills
Find out how PPMD can support your family

Spots are limited — register today! https://www.tfaforms.com/5216666

04/06/2026

PPMD's Julie Bertling, pictured in the blue patterned top with a black blazer, is representing The Parents' Place of Maryland on the Maryland Autism Coalition!

Last week she attended Autism Acceptance Day at the Maryland State House alongside coalition partners. The Coalition was formally recognized and introduced by both the Senate and the House of Representatives for our work in the community.

Coalition members photographed include:
Autism Society of Maryland
Pathfinders for Autism
Hussman Institute for Autism
The Arc Montgomery County
Lower Shore Autism Community
Maryland Department of Disabilities

They are photographed with Senator Jeff Waldstreicher!

04/06/2026

We are so grateful for this generous donation from PAWS and THINK Books! Check out their book series and the amazing work they do for the Maryland community: https://www.pawsandthinkbooks.com/

Another quarter, another amazing organization!👏

We are honored to present this donation to The Parents' Place of Maryland! We’re happy to support their mission to empower families as advocates and partners in improving education and health outcomes for ALL children with disabilities, special healthcare needs and those impacted by behavioral health challenges.💜

Thank you to everyone who purchased a PAWS and THINK! Book this past quarter!🥰