The Need
Many families who have children with serious emotional disorders (SED) receive services in Missouri from the Department of Mental Health and the Division of Children's Service because they have complex mental health and child welfare needs. Parents of children with SED often struggle to understand what services their children are eligible to receive and how best to advocate for them. No one understands how to do this better than an experienced parent who has raised a child with SED.
The Program
In May 2009, FRC launched a program called Parent Partners (PP) with four trained, paraprofessional staff members who have personal experience successfully negotiating the systems of care upon which SED families depend. Parent Partners provide individualized, strength-based mentoring to these families, empowering them to achieve the best possible outcomes in the following areas: parenting skills development, family health care, child development, social support finding and self-advocacy. PP staff members offer information, support and guidance during critical moments in the parent’s interaction with the child welfare system such as court hearings and team decision making meetings when plans and judgments about an SED child’s care and treatment are made.
Funding is provided by the Missouri Department of Mental Health through a 6-7 year federal grant called Systems of Care – Youth in Transition.
For more information about these services, contact Family Resource Center at (314) 534-9350.