This morning I had the privilege of meeting Randy Block, who is the Executive Director of a statewide organization called Parents Helping Parents. This organization provides two types of services to caretakers in the Massachusetts area. Parents Helping Parents provides parent support groups, which meet for one and a half or two hours each week in multiple locations across the state. The groups are free, confidential, and anonymous. Parents come to discuss serious parenting problems, abuse/neglect, the removal of children from the home, and other topics related to the challenges of parenting. A trained facilitator guides each discussion, although the agenda is set by the parents. Parents Helping Parents also provides an anonymous 24-hour hotline. Trained volunteer counselors provide support to callers, and help them formulate plans of actions. When appropriate, the trained counselors provide referrals to community resources and other information. If you are a parent experiencing a DCF investigation, a hostile custody dispute, or other general family issues, consider reaching out to Parents Helping Parents for free assistance.