About Parents Helping Parents

Mission

The mission of Parents Helping Parents of San Luis Obispo County is to empower children with special needs to reach their fullest potential. This is realized by strengthening families through parent and professional education, mutual support, referral networks and greater community awareness.

History

Parents Helping Parents began in 1990 as a small group of parents in San Luis Obispo County supporting each other in raising children with special needs. After organizing into a non-profit, PHP was able to get funding from larger agencies such as Early Start, Tri-Counties Regional Center, and First 5 of SLO County to expand our services. We are grateful affiliates of United Cerebral Palsy of SLO County as we work together to support our community.

Director

Sharlene Agrusa

Sharlene has worked for Parents Helping Parents for 30 years; having an adult daughter with a developmental disability, she brings personal as well as professional experience to our agency. In the past three decades, she has developed parent education programs, support groups, and parenting network opportunities.

As the Director of PHP, Sharlene's primary responsibility is to oversee grants and contracts with our funders to provide services. She is most proud of PHP's recent development as a Family Empowerment Center.