(a) Program authorized
(1) In general
The Secretary may award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, local parent organizations to support community parent resource centers that will help ensure that underserved parents of children with disabilities, including low income parents, parents of limited English proficient children, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information the parents need to enable the parents to participate effectively in helping their children with disabilities—
(A) to meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; and
(B) to be prepared to lead productive independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible.
(2) Definition of local parent organization
In this section, the term "local parent organization" means a parent organization, as defined in section 1471(a)(2) of this title, that—
(A) has a board of directors the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26 from the community to be served; and
(B) has as its mission serving parents of children with disabilities who—
(i) are ages birth through 26; and
(ii) have the full range of disabilities described in section 1401(3) of this title.
(b) Required activities
Each community parent resource center assisted under this section shall—
(1) provide training and information that meets the training and information needs of parents of children with disabilities proposed to be served by the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement;
(2) carry out the activities required of parent training and information centers under paragraphs (2) through (9) of section 1471(b) of this title;
(3) establish cooperative partnerships with the parent training and information centers funded under section 1471 of this title; and
(4) be designed to meet the specific needs of families who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 1472, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §672, as added Pub. L. 105–17, title I, §101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 136, related to research and innovation to improve services and results for children with disabilities, prior to the general amendment of subchapters I to IV of this chapter by Pub. L. 108–446.
Another prior section 1472, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §672, as added Pub. L. 99–457, title I, §101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 1146; amended Pub. L. 100–630, title I, §108(b), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3301; Pub. L. 101–476, title VIII, §801, title IX, §901(b)(162), (163), Oct. 30, 1990, 104 Stat. 1141, 1149; Pub. L. 102–119, §§12, 25(b), Oct. 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 595, 607, related to definitions, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–17, title II, §203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 1998.