VOL 1 - Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice - American ...

Maine
Promising Practices in Children’s Mental Health
Systems of Care - 1998 Series
The Wings Project, serving rural Maine families in four counties has its headquarters in
Bangor. Wings employs several family members as Parent Advocate Specialists. These family
members, frequently enrolled in the Wings Project themselves, work closely with the Parent Intake
Specialists and Case Managers – some of whom are also family members who started working for
Wings as parent Advocate Specialists.
While it is not required for employment, half of the family members filling this position have
a bachelor’s degree. Most are working toward being licensed. The job description specifies that
Parent Advocate Specialists report to the Case Management Program Supervisor and they:
n collaborate with the Family Support Intake Specialist, Case Manager, and Case Management
Program Supervisor to determine entrance eligibility into Wings;
n provide information and referral support to families, including home visits when appropriate;
n ensure clients are receiving services that meet their needs, and that they are treated in a
respectful and empowering way;
n meet with parents receiving services to provide support and education around their child’s
disability;
n provide limited school advocacy on behalf of families;
n assist families in accessing parent support groups and other community supports; and
n assist in identifying service gaps and developing community plans to address the needs of
families.
They also are expected to maintain confidentiality, prepare reports of activities, and educate the
community about Wings. Some of the Parent Advocate Specialists are engaged in a local systems
change initiative and provide the family perspective to state leaders whenever given the opportunity to
do so. United Families (Maine’s statewide affiliate of the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental
Health), creates and supports many opportunities for input to state leaders. One such effort resulted in
passage of legislation16 to improve the delivery of mental health services to children. This legislation
established an oversight committee that has three parent members (two appointed by the President of
the Senate and one by the Speaker of the House.)
16 L.D. #2295. An Act to Improve the Delivery of Mental Health Services to Children, April 6, 1998.
Volume I: New Roles for Families 35