Many PA activities also include specialized children's programs, public awareness campaigns, and 24-hour telephone helplines for parents. The services that PA provides increase the likelihood that young people will grow up in safe and secure family environments, which lessens the chance that they will turn to crime or drugs. Parents make significant long-term positive change. PA groups meet weekly for an average of two hours and are led by parents with the help of a professionally trained facilitator such as a teacher or social worker. Most parents attend voluntarily, although some are required by the courts to participate.
Meetings are free of charge for participants.
Local PA organizations also work with the greater community to raise public awareness and encourage concerned parents to seek help. In addition, these organizations work with local school systems to help educators recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect and provide the needed guidance to those children and their families. The Bulletin describes how the PA program can be tailored to best fit the needs of the community. A PA program in East Los Angeles serves primarily the local Mexican community and features bilingual services and materials. Some PA groups in Montana are designed for Native American communities and have modified the PA concept to fit tribal traditions and customs.