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

Promising Practices in Children’s Mental Health
Systems of Care - 1998 Series
Preference in hiring Parent Advocates is given to a “parent with a child who has received
mental health services and who has been an active participant in the child’s service plan development.”
They must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Qualifications include being:
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n knowledgeable about services in the four-county area covered by Wings;
n able to “maneuver in a variety of home settings and weather conditions;”
n a public speaker;
n able to collaborate as part of a team;
n sensitive to the needs of families; and
n able to present a positive impression to the public. 17
Parent Advocate Specialists work directly for and closely with a Case Manager and everyone
involved recognizes that there is an inherent creative tension in this relationship – an issue they are
continuing to work on within the organization. While this relationship creates a good opportunity for
collaboration and communication on behalf of the enrolled families, there are some serious
challenges to be faced in creating an equal and effective partnership. One of the challenges is an
ongoing debate about appropriate boundaries. Case Managers, following the historically rigid ethics
of their profession, do not socialize with the families they serve. The four counties served by Wings
are small closely-knit communities and Parent Advocates live in the same community as the families
they support. They use the same service providers and their children attend the same schools.
Consequently, Parent Advocates must work closely with community-based family networks to
strengthen parent-to-parent connections and reduce isolation by organizing and attending social
events such as barbecues, picnics, and ice cream socials. The close contact of these personal
relationships plays an important part in earning the trust of the children and families enrolled in
Wings.
The Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation in Maine supports another
network of family members who work “together to help each other and their children with special
needs.” 18 This group is called GEAR (Gaining Empowerment Allows Results). Support and
services from GEAR are also available to Wings Project families. They offer:
n encouragement and support through group meetings and by phone – including a toll-free
number supported by United Families;
17 Job Description provided by Wings – revised December 1995.
18 GEAR brochure provided by Maine families.
Volume I: New Roles for Families