Mind Matters: A Town Hall on Caregiver Mental Health
About this Event
Mind Matters: A Town Hall on Caregiver Mental Health
Join us for an honest conversation about the emotional and mental health challenges that come with caring for others.
Hear from caregivers with firsthand experience, including a father raising three adult nonverbal autistic children and a family caregiver who turned her own unexpected journey into a podcast helping others navigate caregiving, resources, and daily life. Additional guests will offer insights into services, support, and what communities can do to better care for caregivers themselves.
Whether you're caring for an aging parent, a spouse, a child with disabilities, or another loved one, you'll leave with practical information, shared experiences, and a reminder that you don't have to navigate caregiving alone.
Attendees can receive a Certificate of Attendance for those in pursuit of Caregiver Certification.
Panelists include:
Jason Kavulich, Pennsylvania Sec. of Aging
Jason Kavulich serves as Pennsylvania's Secretary of Aging, where he oversees programs and services supporting the Commonwealth's 3.4 million older adults and the families who care for them. A human services professional with more than 26 years of experience, Kavulich previously led the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging and the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Under his leadership, the Department has expanded its focus on supporting family caregivers through initiatives including PA CareKit and Aging Our Way, PA, the Commonwealth's 10-year strategic plan to strengthen aging services and help older adults live safely and independently in their communities.
David Quel, Father of Three Nonverbal Children.
David Quel’s passions are ministry and the special needs community. He has worked in ministry for more than 25 years as a youth director and in pastoral care. In addition to a master’s degree in education from Slippery Rock University, he earned a master’s certificate in autism studies from Seton Hill University, a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in education from Liberty University. He recently finished his dissertation on incorporating special needs families into the life of the church, and David continually tries to find new ways to help the autistic community be more welcomed within the church community. He and his wife are parents of three autistic young men.
Darah Thompson, Creator: Where's the Adult? Podcast
Darah Thompson knows firsthand how quickly life can change. A nurse by profession, she became the primary caregiver for her mother, father, and grandmother virtually overnight. Drawing on both her clinical experience and her personal caregiving journey, Darah and her sister launched the podcast Where's the Adult? to help others navigate the unexpected realities of caring for aging loved ones. Through candid conversations, practical advice, and humor, she encourages caregivers to feel less alone while offering insight into the challenges, resilience, and compassion that define the caregiving experience.
Laura Power, Disability Advocate
Laura Power is a disability advocate and employment professional dedicated to expanding opportunities for people with disabilities to thrive in the workplace and their communities. Through her work with the Bender Leadership Academy and other advocacy organizations, she champions inclusive employment, accessibility, and disability rights. Laura also brings the perspective of someone who relies on caregivers, offering firsthand insight into the reciprocal nature of care, the importance of independence, and the ways caregivers and those they support can care for one another. Her work and lived experience underscore the value of dignity, inclusion, and community in every stage of life.
Resource Organizations in attnedence include:
Blueprints --Caregiver & Family Services
Aetna Better Kids Health
Metro Community Health Center
SWPA Area Agency on Aging—The Grandparent Program
Washington County Veterans Agency—Caregiver Support Program
SWPA Mental Health America—Caregiver Mental Health Support
PathWays—Caregiver Support for those with intellectual/autism disabilities
Allegheny Family Network—Peer Led support for families navigating children's mental health
Each attendee will receive a Resource Packet which includes information from the above orginazations as well as:
Catholic Charities Washington County—Caregiver Support Counseling
NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania—Family/Caregiver Support Line
Jewish Family & Community Services—Virtual Caregiver Support Program
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
