SLIPPERY ROCK — When her son, Mason, was born almost eight years ago, Melissa Allen, who lives with her husband in Slippery Rock, had no idea that his birth would lead her to a new career and a new passion.

At 18 months, her son was showing some developmental delays that led to a diagnosis of 22q 11.2 Deletion Syndrome, also referred to as Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome.

22q, as Mason calls it, can cause an array of medical problems including heart defects, palette abnormalities, growth deficiencies, autoimmune disorders and developmental delays.

The chromosomal disorder also leads to learning difficulties for the child that often requires an individualized education program (IEP) in schools. That requires parents to know about federal and state educational laws.

As Mason was prepared to make the transition into kindergarten at age 5, Allen had her first meeting with his teacher and school administrators.

She recalls that meeting as overwhelming and intimidating. It led Allen, a self-proclaimed information junkie, to the Internet, where she found the Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center and ultimately a new career.

She was hired in 2008 as the coordinator of the State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) for PEAL in Pittsburgh. That grant is used to help parents learn to be advocates for their children enabling them to get an inclusive education in the public school system.

In her role, Allen oversees a state information program, the center's Tiny Fingers sign language program, and the annual School Leaders Symposium on inclusive education. She also promotes the center to families.

The PEAL Center is one of two facilities in the state. Allen serves 43 counties in western and central Pennsylvania out of PEAL while another center in York covers the eastern part of the state.

PEAL was founded in 2005 and is a resource center for children from birth to age 26 and for their parents to navigate federal and state education laws. It also provides support for parents to connect with other parents dealing with similar issues.

Elisabeth Healey, executive director of PEAL, is a former Pittsburgh School Board president. She raised a daughter with a disability and out of her experiences realized the frustrations many parents face in raising their children with disabilities.

Often parents have to scramble to help their children. She says she wanted to "try to make the path easier for other parents."

Initially the center's focus was on education, but now it has expanded to encompass other issues regarding health care and community support.

Healey estimates PEAL helps about 2,000 families on an individualized basis. Its newsletters go out to about 20,000 homes in the state and the its Web site receives about 400,000 hits annually.

Healey says the center, its newsletter, and the Web site help families piece together all of the information and resources available to families.

One way to help families is a six-month training course to educate parents so they can be parent advisers and help other parents navigate the often intimidating special education process.

State and federal laws mandate that all children with disabilities have access to free and appropriate education. Schools are required to provide the least restrictive environment for each child, meaning that every attempt must be made for the child to have the opportunity to be educated with other students.

That is done through IEPs or Section 504s. IEPs are individualized education plans developed for children who need special instruction.

Section 504 is for students who have special needs but do not require specialized instruction. For instance, a child with juvenile diabetes will have a Section 504 plan so schools can help students dealing with the illness, whether through special snack times or visits to the school nurse.

After previously working in public relations, Allen admits this educational work is still new to her, but it is something that she has become passionate about.

She said, "No one thinks about it until it touches you."

One of the ways the PEAL Center and Allen help others is through Parents Engaged in Advocating for Change in Education (PEACE), three information sessions in the state that provide opportunities for parents to talk with professionals and other parents. The first session provides an overview of educational laws; the second provides an overview of IEPs; and the third focuses on building relationships between parents and schools.

Allen encourages parents of children with special needs to get involved in their schools because "kids with challenges can be every bit as successful as others if given the right resources and opportunities."

Another way that PEAL and Allen help parents and students is through their annual conference at the Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh North in Cranberry Township.

Allen said 400 to 500 families attend the conference. She describes it as a good way to meet other families and find professional resources.

This year's conference will be March 16 to 17 and will feature speakers and discussions of 35 topics.

A special event will be a concert featuring singer Peter Yarrow of the folk singing group of Peter, Paul and Mary. Proceeds from his concert will benefit PEAL.

Allen hopes the center in the future can turn more attention to helping families and children with the transition into college, the work force and adulthood. That is something families have said they want.

In Pennsylvania that transition for special needs children begins at age 14, but few resources are available to help parents and students cope with life beyond the public education system.

Allen encourages parents to become advocates for their children so when they grow up, they can act as advocates for themselves.

Allen's final advice to parents of children with special needs is to "know your rights and know your child's rights so they get the help they need."

<b>What: </b>Building Communities of Peace, Harmony and Respect conference<b>When: </b>March 16 and 17<b>Where: </b>Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh North, Cranberry Township.<b>For more information about topics and to register contact: </b>The Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center in Pittsburgh, visit the center's Web site www.pealcenter.org or call it toll-free at 866-950-1040.