Each quarter, Families as Allies facilitates a virtual conversation for anyone working with parents providing parent-peer support in any system, such as Children’s Services Directors, MAP Team Coordinators, Care Coordinators and Center Directors. We deliberately named these gatherings conversations because the more each person shares, the more we all learn – especially those of us at Families as Allies.
Our next virtual conversation is June 29 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. CDT. Please join us if you work with parent-peer supporters or are interested in learning more.
Families as Allies has a grant with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH) to conduct parent peer support training; to provide ongoing support, training and coaching to parent peer supporters; to track employment of parent peer supporters; and to assist and support employers of parent peer supporters. We want to hear how all these things are going and your ideas for how we can better help you, parent peer supporters and, most importantly, parents who receive peer support. We are excited that starting in July 2023, Families as Allies will also assist the DMH with peer support site visits.
In this month’s conversation, we want to hear your thoughts about how site visits can be structured and conducted to help ensure quality parent-peer support services and any other ideas or suggestions you have about parent-peer support.
We also want to answer any of your questions about our parent peer support resources and hear your suggestions for additional resources. Here are some frequently used resources:
Parent Peer Supporter Brochure (PDF)
Overview of Parent Peer Support Modules
MS Department of Mental Health Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Training Application (PDF)
National Federation of Families Parent Peer Support Core Competencies (link)
The Role of Family Peer Support Specialists (video)
Agency Readiness to Employ Parent Support Providers (National Federation of Families)
National Federation of Families Parent Peer Support Resources (link)
Family Run Executive Directors Leadership Association Parent Peer Support Resources (link)
National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
