Why is environmental health so important? Consider the following information: At least 1 in every 59 children has one or several learning disabilities. In the 1970s, autism was estimated to have affected about 1 in 2,500 to 5,000 children. In 2022, the rate was 1 in 44 and today it is 1 in 36. Boys are 4x more likely to be autistic. In January 2020, there were 31,991 Maine students with identified disabilities. Two years later, there were 32,641 students with an identified disability and an individualized education plan, or 19.5% of all students. This was 650 more than the previous 2 years. Join us and learn why it is important to protect your family from toxic chemical exposures.

The G.E.A.R. Parent Network, a program of Crisis & Counseling Centers, is the place where Gaining Empowerment Allows Results. G.E.A.R. is run by parents for parents providing services for parents of children with emotional and behavioral health concerns.

Through parent-to-parent sharing of experiences and knowledge, G.E.A.R. Parent Network empowers parents of children with behavioral health needs to build on their family’s strengths and to advocate for their family’s needs.