{"id":31981,"date":"2022-06-03T15:59:32","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T15:59:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caseyfamilyv2.wpengine.com\/parent-partner-funding\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T18:56:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T18:56:48","slug":"financiamiento-de-socios-principales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/es\/parent-partner-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfC\u00f3mo financian algunas jurisdicciones los programas de padres asociados?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Editor’s note:<\/strong> In<\/em> July 2024, <\/em>the<\/em> Ch<\/em>ild Welfare Policy Manual Question 4<\/em><\/a> was updated to include peer navigation as an allowable administrative cost under the Title IV-E prevention program.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Parent partner programs<\/span><\/a>1<\/sup><\/a> in child welfare support parents who are at risk of or already involved with the child welfare system by teaming them with a peer parent with a closed child welfare case who serves as a partner and mentor to help them navigate the system. These programs vary in many ways, including their structure, the support offered, and their relationship with the child protection agency and court system. Programs also vary in how they are funded, which may impact the types of support provided. Parent partner programs frequently start with a small pilot, sometimes funded through court improvement funds, but as they expand and evidence of effectiveness increases, programs have sought enhanced or alternate funding sources for expansion. Experiences of five different parent partner programs2<\/sup><\/a> demonstrate that funding sources fall into three general categories: Medicaid, state funding, and grant funding, with some locations pulling funding from multiple sources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Medicaid funding<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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Coverage for parent partner programs through Medicaid<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a> is an optional benefit and the state can decide what elements are covered. Medicaid operates based on an individual need for service, but if a child meets the eligibility criteria, many services for the child can involve the entire family if the state has expanded benefits to include adult family members who otherwise would not be Medicaid-eligible. Medicaid is a health care delivery system, and therefore the services provided \u2014 including those for mental health and substance use treatment \u2014 must be deemed medically necessary and be delivered by a Medicaid provider. All Medicaid providers must meet certain requirements (specific training, coaching certifications, etc.) to bill for services. The process for billing Medicaid varies by state. Receiving technical assistance from other organizations that have been successful in using Medicaid funds within their own county or state can be hugely beneficial to organizations seeking to understand and implement Medicaid reimbursement processes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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In addition to using other funding streams, Stanford Sierra Youth & Families<\/span><\/a> in Northern California bills Medicaid for parent partner programming by documenting it as a service to support the child\u2019s medical need for services. Given the importance of detailed documentation for securing Medicaid funding, Stanford Sierra Youth & Families provides its program staff with a thorough onboarding process that includes training on proper notes writing and how to obtain a National Provider Identifier (NPI), a certification number that Medicaid providers are required to use for billing purposes. Additionally, all Stanford Sierra Youth & Families staff, regardless of whether they will be seeking Medicaid reimbursement, are trained to the Medicaid standard of documentation. This helps maintain clear, consistent documentation across all programs. An internal feedback cycle has been developed to identify and support staff that may be struggling with documenting to Medicaid standards. Funding a parent partner program through Medicaid does have some limitations. For example, Stanford Sierra Youth & Families recognizes that many parent partners are drawn to their role because they want to help other families, not because they want to write notes, and they may not always see the value of extensive documentation. Therefore, effective training includes a clear explanation of why appropriate documentation is essential to program funding and sustainability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Additionally, Medicaid reimbursement applies only to eligible activities; other activities, such as advocacy efforts and system impact work, cannot be reimbursed. The burdens and requirements related to billing documentation and billable hours are among the main reasons administrators at the Family Involvement Center<\/span><\/a> in Arizona decided not to seek Medicaid funding for its Parents for Parents program. The center wanted parent partners to have opportunities to influence public policy, speak at conferences, and engage in other leadership activities that do not meet Medicaid criteria. These opportunities also are a priority at Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. That\u2019s why the agency has braided Medicaid with other funding sources, such as from the state\u2019s Mental Health Services Act, county child welfare, wraparound reinvestment savings, and private foundation grants, to fund its parent partners program. This way, parent partners can pursue activities not covered by Medicaid \u2014 such as systems change efforts, leadership activities, and training \u2014 while still being paid for their time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Medicaid Funding for Peer Support in Children\u2019s Behavioral Health<\/h3>\n

Some parent partner programs support specific populations of families, such as those with children who have behavioral health challenges. By supporting parents who may be overwhelmed with managing their child\u2019s behavioral health and navigating the system, children are more likely to remain at home or in their placement, if they are not in their family home. These populations often include children impacted by the child welfare system, and many of these programs are financed through Medicaid.<\/p>\n

New Jersey<\/b><\/span>\u00a0uses Medicaid administrative funding (as opposed to Medicaid reimbursement for direct medical services) to support organizations led by and comprised of family members with lived experience across all child-serving systems to provide peer support to families involved with the child behavioral health system. Using Medicaid administrative funding provides greater flexibility; however, this approach may result in less Medicaid funding overall. States may claim only a 50% federal match for administrative activities, rather than what is typically a higher federal match rate for direct services.<\/p>\n

Families of Medicaid-eligible children enrolled in\u00a0Oklahoma\u2019s Medicaid Health Home<\/b><\/span>\u00a0program have access to parent peer support. A health home is an integrated approach to care that combines general and behavioral health services for children (or adults) with high needs. Oklahoma funds parent peer support for families with children in health homes through the program\u2019s monthly \u201cper member per month\u201d rate.<\/p>\n

Washington<\/b><\/span>\u00a0funds peer support through its\u00a0WISe<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Medicaid initiative, which provides home- and community-based services for children with complex behavioral health needs. Children and their parents can receive peer support, provided by certified peer counselors, through the initiative. Peer counselors may assist youth and their families with navigating the behavioral health system, identifying services, and developing treatment goals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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State funding<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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Parent partner programs in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Washington receive the majority of their funding through the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Iowa<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Rated as a \u201cpromising\u201d intervention by the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare<\/span><\/a> and the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse<\/span><\/a>, the Iowa Parent Partner Approach<\/b><\/span> has a long-standing history in the state. Conceived in 2006 through a partnership between the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Casey Family Programs, the program began as a pilot in four locations. In 2009, the model was expanded through a grant from the Midwest Child Welfare Implementation Center and was implemented statewide by 2013 through a contract with Children & Families of Iowa<\/span><\/a>, a leading family services provider in the state. In 2012, evidence of the program\u2019s effectiveness and return on investment led to lawmakers dedicating funds for the program in the state\u2019s child welfare budget.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The state funding, which has remained stable, primarily supports parent partners for parents whose children are placed in foster care. When DHS leadership wanted to expand the program, the agency procured additional funds for three pilots through the federal Promoting Safe and Stable Families<\/span><\/a> program. One pilot focused on pre-removal, one focused on post-reunification, and a smaller pilot focused on fathers with a known instance of interpersonal violence. In the pre-removal pilot, parents with children at imminent risk of entering foster care, as determined through an intake and risk-level assessment, are offered a parent partner. On the opposite end of the spectrum, families with children returning home from foster care are offered a parent partner for six months after reunification has occurred. Evaluation results from the pilot programs will help DHS leadership determine the value of having a parent partner as part of the full array of services. If evaluation results are positive, and based on the inclusion of the Iowa Parent Partner Approach in the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse, the agency plans to apply for Title IV-E prevention money to fund the programs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Oklahoma<\/b><\/h3>\n

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In Oklahoma, parent partner programs are funded through a combination of state dollars and federal Promoting Safe and Stable Families program funds, and are offered through multiple providers. The program at NorthCare<\/span><\/a>, an integrated behavioral health services provider, began in 2018 with two parent partners to serve families in Oklahoma County, the most populous in the state. It was funded through the Court Improvement Program (which receives a grant from the federal Children\u2019s Bureau) and the Arnall Family Foundation, a philanthropy based in Oklahoma City. Interest in the program grew quickly, with judges and caseworkers requesting support and insight from the parent partners. Given the program\u2019s alignment with the agency\u2019s values of engaging and supporting parents, Oklahoma Human Services \u2014 the state agency that oversees child welfare \u2014 decided to expand the program a year later. It now has five parent partners and a full-time supervisor, and is entirely funded by the state agency.<\/p>\n

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More recently, Circle of Care<\/span><\/a>, a foster care agency in Oklahoma, also was interested in implementing a parent partner program to expand access to families outside of Oklahoma County. Circle of Care and Oklahoma Human Services collaborated with Iowa to learn everything they could about implementing a parent partner program similar to that state\u2019s model. Circle of Care is funding the first 18 months of its pilot, after which time Oklahoma Human Services will invest state resources to sustain the program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Washington<\/b><\/h3>\n

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In Washington state, Children\u2019s Home Society of Washington\u2019s Parents for Parents<\/span><\/a> was first launched in one county in 2005 with Court Improvement Program funding, and later expanded to additional counties with support from the state\u2019s Children\u2019s Administration (now the Department of Children, Youth, and Families). In 2014, when the program learned that Children\u2019s Administration might reduce the funding, the program mobilized to advocate for funding directly from the Washington Legislature. Efforts included gathering letters of support, providing testimony, and developing relationships with state lawmakers. In sharing personal stories, parent partners emphasized the estimated savings of being reunified with their children compared with the costs involved with long-term foster care or adoption. The efforts paid off: In 2015 the Legislature passed a bill<\/span><\/a> with strong bi-partisan support to provide state funding for the program. The Legislature also mandated and funded an evaluation, which has been key to demonstrating the effectiveness of Parents for Parents. In 2019, the program was formally expanded statewide and funding has been sustained ever since. As of June 2021, Parents for Parents operates in all 39 counties in Washington.<\/p>\n

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Legislative funding continues to be the main source of program dollars throughout the state. Additional funding in King County, the largest county in the state, has allowed Parents for Parents to hire a full-time coordinator to supervise parent partners in multiple locations throughout the county, increasing the ability to serve a larger number of families. Funding nevertheless is the program\u2019s biggest challenge, particularly in other counties throughout the state. Many Parents for Parents programs operate on an extremely limited budget, despite the program\u2019s demonstrated success. The most recent evaluation<\/span><\/a> of the program found that 79% of parents who participated in the full program reunified with their children, compared with 53% of parents in a comparison group of parents who did not participate. Given these findings, coupled with the continued demand for parent partners, program leaders plan to request additional funding from the state Legislature and advocate for an overall shift in how child welfare resources are allocated so that funding is prioritized for interventions \u2014 like parent partner programs \u2014 that are designed to keep families together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Primary funding sources<\/h3>\n


\nFamily Involvement Center, Arizona<\/strong><\/p>\n