Our Peer Parent Support Partners and staff members are parents of children with mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders who have overcome significant challenges to improve their child’s outcome and the wellbeing of their family. We have been in your shoes and have the experience and training to help you navigate the road ahead. We will work with you to find solutions that meet your child’s and family’s unique needs. You will learn how to navigate complicated systems, find resources, advocate for your child and family, and overcome feelings of guilt, fear, and helplessness.
Support in Navigating Systems & Locating Resources
Navigating school, healthcare and disability systems to access the care your child needs can be confusing, time-consuming, and stressful. Your feelings of helplessness may be compounded if your child becomes involved in the juvenile court or child welfare systems. Our staff and Peer Parent Support Partners understand how these systems work and we can teach you to make systems work for your child, not against them. The Alliance staff can help you to:
- Understand your child’s rights and what services they are entitled to;
- Coordinate support across multiple systems;
- Become an advocate for your child and communicate more effectively with teachers, insurance providers, law enforcement officers, and others;
- Open the doors to additional service providers and funding resources to fill in care gaps;
- Locate resources for other needs like housing, child care, and substance abuse problems.
Peer Coaching & Advocacy Services
Your Peer Supporter is your mentor, advocate, and shoulder to lean on. They will work with you to:
- Develop an action plan for getting the care and treatment your child needs;
- Understand what services are available and how to access them;
- Train you and your other family members to be advocates for your child;
- Work with schools to address your child’s learning needs;
- Attend meetings with you at school, the doctor’s office, or with therapists;
- Become a more effective parent by prioritizing self-care;
- Find your inner strength and connect you with other members of our community of caregivers.
Peer Parent Support Partner
Peer Parent Support Partners (PPSP) are parents with lived-experience who are or have raised children with mental health challenges. The role of the PPSP is to connect with parents through their own life experiences and journey. PPSPs aren’t parent correctors. A PPSP develops a connection with their peer that focuses on providing an authentic supportive peer based relationship. PPSPs understand where a parent might be on their journey and meet them where they are.
Youth Advocacy
Youth advocacy is for youth (for youth 12 and up) with mental and emotional health challenges who need the tools and skills to learn how to navigate the system(s) they are involved in. Youth can receive one-to-one or group supports in their efforts to overcome the stigma associated with mental health and create a path to mental and emotional wellness and recovery.
The Youth Advocacy staff will develop a strengths-based relationship for improving youth’s ability to learn about: systems, why they should learn to navigate systems, how to start navigating systems and when appropriate preparation for transitioning to adult serving systems.
Services are currently limited to Champaign, Ford, Vermilion and Iroquois County for those who qualify. Please contact us at 217-282-9852 for more information about service eligibility and our Fee-For-Service options.
