Devereux Hosts Resiliency Conference for Families with Special Needs Individuals in Philadelphia

Attributed to Paul LeBuffe, Director of Devereux’s Center for Resilient Children

Last month, Devereux had the privilege of hosting a conference, “Overcoming the Odds: Promoting Resilience for Families with Special Needs.” As a leading nonprofit behavioral healthcare organization, Devereux supports many of the most underserved and vulnerable members of our communities. As part of our 100th anniversary celebration, Devereux staff and community experts shared a wealth of knowledge about family resilience with the Philadelphia community. This program was offered at no cost as a community service of Devereux.

Working at Devereux, I see first-hand the myriad of challenges faced by families caring for someone with special needs. This conference provided an opportunity for these families to come together and meet with a wide-range of professionals who helped them navigate their care-giving journeys.

It truly was a day of caring as my colleagues and I were able to interact with these families and offer education and support through workshops focused on critical topics like advocacy, medication management, legal issues, and social and emotional needs. Copies of the presentations and other helpful information are available at the conference website, www.resilientfamilyblog.org. 

What’s more, we were thrilled to have New York Times best-selling author Judith Warner deliver the keynote address, speaking about her work with families that care for a child with special needs. We also recognized Dr. Dan Gottlieb, host of Voices in the Family on WHYY, with our first annual Devereux Community of Hope Award. I want to thank everyone who made this conference possible, and encourage everyone to join us in our mission of providing hope and empowering lives for another 100 years to come. Learn more about Devereux at www.devereux.org.