See Parent Partners (for Families) here.
Parent Partners promotes an innovative change in social work practice that is unique because it not only celebrates individuals that have overcome obstacles through change, recovery, and accountability, but also uses their skills to mentor families who are currently navigating through Department of Human Services (DHS) as their children are in foster or kinship care. Parent Partners demonstrate advocacy and effective communication while holding families accountable in meeting their case plan goals.
The Parent Partner (mentor) is a key strategy to improving practice with families, but it cannot stand alone. Parent Partners network within communities and collaborate with social workers and providers to meet the needs of families, assist in policy and program development, change perceptions in communities, and facilitate trainings and learning opportunities.
Parent Partners are selected based upon their interpersonal skills, successes, and proven abilities to overcome obstacles. Parent Partners have been involved with the Agency due to child protection issues. Parent Partners have experienced removal of children from their primary care and have since experienced successful reunification or resolution around termination of their parental rights. It is these experiences that make Parent Partners so beneficial to families who are currently receiving services due to child protection issues. Parent Partners are able to offer hope, realistic advice, and advocacy for families. In addition, they form a critical link between the Agency worker, other professionals, and the family. For more information on the Parent Partner Approach see Attachment E.
The Parent Partner Approach is designed to deliver a flexible array of Culturally Sensitive supports to parents who are involved in child protection services. The target population and priority for these mentoring supports are families whose child/ren have been removed from their parent’s care and/or who can only reside with their children under special conditions directed by the courts (i.e. substance abuse treatment or relative care is present).
During the initial stages of a case, the Parent Partner averages four face-to-face visits per month and phone contact between visits. The frequency of contact may vary after two to three months as the family works through their case plan. The number of visits is based on a family’s needs and case consultation with the Parent Partner Coordinator.
This program will remain flexible by providing the Parent Partner an opportunity to determine the amount of time they will commit to the Parent Partner role. For example, one Parent Partner may be going to school and only wants to only mentor two or three families but another Parent Partner may want to mentor 10-15 families.
Eligible Populations
The Parent Partner mentoring focuses on families who are involved with child protection services and whose child/ren have been removed from their parent’s care and/or who can only reside with their children under special conditions directed by the courts (i.e. substance abuse treatment or relative care is present).
Parent Partners must have prior involvement child protection, and have experienced successful reunification or resolution around termination of their parental rights for at least one year.
Contact Information
Current Contract Term
The Agency executed a contract with Children and Families of Iowa on July 1, 2019 for an initial two-year contract term with the ability to extend the contract for four additional one-year terms.
Performance-Based Measures and Methodologies
A. Performance Measure
Contractor shall submit the draft work plan and itemized budget identified in Section 1.3.1.1A to the Agency no later than 15 days after execution of the Contract. Contractor shall obtain the Agency’s acceptance of the work plan no later than 30 days following execution of the Contract. The Contractor shall submit a current work plan and annual itemized budget prior to the yearly contract renewal date to the Agency. The Contractor shall obtain Agency's acceptance of the work plan no later than 60 days following execution of the renewal.
B. Performance Measure
Contractor shall provide mentoring supports that conform to the following contractual requirements: 95% of the 1,900 parents served statewide identified in Section 1.3.1.2 A1 shall complete the Parent Partner Self-Assessment (Entry) form and 80% of the 1,900 parents served, and were being mentored when the DHS case closed, shall complete the Parent Partner Self-Assessment form (Exit).
C. Performance Measure
100% of the quarterly reports shall be submitted to the Contract Manager within 15 days of the end of each quarter. An annual report shall be submitted by August 15 each year. Reports will demonstrate ongoing active supports for children and families served.
D. Performance Measure
Contractor shall ensure that 95% of the following forms are completed and the information is entered in the database within 30 days of completing the forms.
• Participant Profile (Referral/Intake)
• Self-Assessment (Entry)
• Self-Assessment (Exit)
• Fidelity Checklist & Family Outcome
• Parent Partner Monthly Activity Tracking Form
E. Performance Measure
Contractor shall ensure that 85% of families of 1,900 parents served statewide identified in Section 1.3.1.2 A1 will have improved Family Self-Assessment scores on their Exit Self-Assessment compared to their Retrospective Self-Assessment on at least three of the self-assessment measures. Improved scores are defined as a “one” scale point or greater improvement.
F. Performance Measure
1. 850 parents by June 30, 2014 in the 68 counties currently providing Parent Partners;
2. 1400 parents in state fiscal year 2015 and Parent Partners are available in 99 counties;
3. a minimum of 1800 parents statewide in state fiscal year 2016;
4. a minimum1924 for each of the remaining three state fiscal years 2017, 2018 and 2019.
G. Performance Measure
1. Contractor shall submit 95% of all the training documentation including training outline, trainer bios, and sign-in sheets to Contract Manager within 30 days of completion of the identified training or event.
2. Contractor shall submit training participant evaluations on all trainings organized by the Contractor to the Contract Manager within 30 days of completion. A summary of the participant evaluations shall be included. On a Likert scale of five, participants overall score shall be an average of 3.5 or better.
Procurement Opportunities
Request for Proposals will be posted Spring 2019