Programs

What is a Parent Mentor?

A Parent Mentor is a parent who has experienced challenges in his or her parenting, has maintained an active program of recovery from substance use for two years or more, and has successfully navigated the Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Welfare system. Parent Mentors can empathize and support parents entering treatment, maintaining sobriety, and reuniting with their children. They are familiar with the many roads to recovery and can support parents through all stages of recovery.

In support of parents, Parent Mentors:

• accompany parents to court hearings, family decision meetings, and team decision meetings
• maintain contact with parents during treatment or incarceration
• introduce parents to 12-step meetings or other recovery-based meetings
• assist parents with access to community resources
• guide parents through the stress of parenting in recovery
• help parents learn to advocate for themselves and their children
• provide encouragement and support as the parent navigates the child welfare system

The Parent Mentor Program is a collaboration between Morrison’s Parents program, the FIT for Recovery Team, and the Oregon Department of Human Services.

Who Do We Help?

Parent Mentors provide services for parents involved with the child welfare system. Our Parents Mentors support groups are open to parents, step-parents, foster parents, grandparents, older siblings and anyone in a parenting role.

Referrals

To make a referral, please contact us at 971-221-5180 or contact.parentmentor@morrisonkids.org. If you are in need of support, please call the Parents Mentor support line  at 971-221-5180. For support and empowerment, call the National Parent Helpline® at 1-855-427-2736 or visit their website at nationalparenthelpline.org.

Language Accessibility

At all of our locations, services are provided in English and Spanish.

Locations

Services are provided in the home, in treatment, in the community, or anywhere in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Marion, Polk and Columbia counties. Offices are located at our Airport Business Center/Portland, Beaverton, and Salem locations.

Parent Mentor Program

Parent Mentor Program is a trauma-informed practice utilizing mutual support (the giving and getting of help), parent leadership (seeking solutions and becoming empowered), and shared leadership (working together) to achieve personal growth that improves protective factors, increases family functioning and mitigates and prevents Adverse Childhood Experiences by improving health and mental health well‐being of Parents/Caregivers and their Children & Youth.

Parent Mentor Program is both an intervention and prevention program where parents and their children and youth are empowered to create positive and long‐term change for their families. The Parent Mentor Program consists of a weekly support group for Parents and Caregivers and a separate group for their Children and Youth (0‐18), Parent Partners/Advocates/Mentors, Supportive and Helpline Services provided by the Trained Group Facilitators, Parent Group Leaders and Other Parent Leaders in between Group Meetings. There is a Trained Group Facilitator and Parent Group Leader in every Parent Mentor Program Adult Group fostering emotional support amongst all participants to improve protective factors, reduce risk, and ensure family stability. Furthermore, there are Trained Children & Youth Group Facilitators who deliver a structured program to enhance self‐esteem, build resilience, protective factors, ensure the social and emotional development, and well-being of children and youth ages 0-18 who may have mental health or other challenges.

Parent Mentors support parents involved with the child welfare system by linking them with resources and introducing them to a supportive recovery community. Because of their own experience with the system, Mentors are able to encourage and help parents advocate for themselves and their children.

Parent Mentor Program Support Groups

To attend a virtual Parent Mentors Support Group, click here: Parents Mentors Group Locations.

All of our Parent Mentors Support Groups are virtual and open to any parent in Oregon who is in need of support from other parents in the community.

Did you know that Morrison participates in the Parent Advisory Council? 

The Parent Advisory Council (PAC) was formed in 2015 to provide valuable insight and guidance to the executive leadership of Oregon’s Department of Human Services Child Welfare on strategies to improve the overall well-being of children and families.  The Parent Advisory Council is comprised of parents from Oregon with prior Child Welfare involvement because of substance abuse, resulting in temporary removal of their children.  All PAC members have navigated their DHS case and are actively parenting their children.  PAC members identify services gaps and advocate for allocation of funding for critical family support services.

PAC members are currently making valuable contributions to their communities advocating for parents entering the Child Welfare System and giving back to those who supported them in their journey to recovery. They bring personal perspectives and insight regarding services they believe parents would participate in and value. They are uniquely qualified to represent the voices of parents navigating the Child Welfare System – understanding the hopelessness and guilt parents feel when faced with challenges of making significant personal change and achieving reunification with their children.

In 2018, the Parent Advisory Council developed three goals to improve Oregon’s Child Welfare System:

• Increase Parent-Child Visitation
• Enhance DHS Caseworker and Parent Engagement
• Improve Warm Handoffs between DHS Caseworkers