Overview
Pathfinder Services of ND (PSND) is a statewide non-profit organization, with its main office located in Minot, ND. PSND was founded in November 1987, by a small group of parents who had a strong desire to help other families understand the special education laws and systems. Please feel free to Download our Brochure.
Over the years PSND has become a leading source of information and support in North Dakota for children and youth who have special needs, their families and others who support them.
We look forward to continuing our success with creating pathways for fellow North Dakotans. We look forward to continuing our success with creating pathways for fellow North Dakotans. Please feel free to Download our Brochure.
Mission
Offering resources to parents, youth, professionals, and the community focusing on individuals birth-26 with learning differences or challenges.
Vision
To promote efforts to welcome and include diverse learners and families at home, in school and in the community. Offer high quality resources to help build collaborative relationships and to create connections and partnerships. Continue to develop enhanced resources to meet the needs of our stakeholders.
What We Do
Our scope of services includes:
- Technical Assistance
- Outreach & Leadership
- Resources
- Training & Development
How do we do it?
We deliver our services via the following methods:
- Face to face
- Phone
- Electronically
Who do we do it for?
Our Pathways include:
- Parents & Families
- Youth & Young Adults
- Professionals
- Community
PSND:
- Helps parents build partnerships with those who provide services to their children.
- Connects families to community resources.
- Educates parents on their rights and how to use those rights to become involved in their child's education.
- Empowers parents and young adults so they may advocate effectively for their own needs.
- Provides information and resources to educators and other professionals who support children with disabilities.
History
Pathfinder Services of North Dakota was founded by Kathryn Erickson of Mohall, ND, in 1987. Kathryn and a small group of parents received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to become ND's statewide Parent Training and Information center (PTI). Shortly after Pathfinder was founded, Dr. Wayne Sanstead, then State Superintendent of the ND Department of Public Instruction, publicly introduced Kathryn as "a pathfinder for parents". Thus, our name was born.
We are a part of a national alliance of parent centers. Through the alliance we have access to many unique resources and services that strengthen our ability to serve families and schools. If we don't have what your need, we can often find what is available through other states. We provide statewide services through our central office that is located at the Town and Country Center in Minot ND. Our staff consists of professionals with a wide variety of expertise in providing support for parents, youth, and professionals.
We are governed by a Board of Directors composed of parents and professionals, with a majority of the members being parents who have children with physical, emotional, learning, or sensory disabilities.