How are we making a difference?
Our organization supports parents involved with Child Protective Services (CPS)
in Texas by connecting them with free mentor and support services.
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Every parent accepted into our program is paired with a mentor who also had
their children removed by the state. These mentors (parent partners) completed
their service plan, had their case closed and reunified with their children.
Parent partners come alongside their mentees (parent clients) as they work
through their service plans. They help with navigating the system, finding
resources and learning new parenting skills.
The staff and Board of Directors at Mosaic Advocacy have extensive knowledge
and lived experience within the child welfare space. We have foster parents,
social workers, parent partners and former foster youth on our team. We utilize their
knowledge and skills to collaborate with every part of a parent's team so we can
work together to reunify more children safely with their parents.
What do Mentorship Programs Accomplish?
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Increase the reunification rate
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Lower the risk of subsequent CPS referrals
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Can decrease the time a child spends in foster care
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Can lower state funds spent on foster care costs
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Better prepare parents with safe parenting skills​
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Help parents build community connections and support
Program Goals
Help parents complete all court ordered services and find additional resources.
Unify the legal team to
work together and
support safe reunification.
Walk alongside parents through their case showing compassion and support.
Empower parents to build a plan for post reunification parenting and support.
Projected Outcomes &
The Life Cycle of a CPS Case
A CPS case typically starts with an investigation where children may or
may not be removed from the home and placed into foster care.
Most Texas cases last 12-18 months and have a 6 month post reunification
period where advocates are still checking in with the family and
the child's medical insurance stays active.
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Following removal of the child(ren), parents are given
a team of people and a case/service plan to complete.
This plan can have items like drug tests, securing
alternate housing, seeing a therapist, etc.
​
Below, is an outline of milestones during a CPS case.
We have also summarized our goals as an organization in our support
of parents who are working to reunify with their children.​​
Parents who are partnered with our program are better prepared to parent their children once reunified and their children have a lower risk of experiencing re entry into foster care.
Statistics on Successful Mentorship Programs
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Parents Anonymous​ (2010 in CA)
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Mentee parents were 50% less likely to have a subsequent referral than non mentored parents
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Parents in Partnership (2017 in CA)
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Mentee parents who participated in orientation had a five time greater chance of reunification
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Partner Parent Program (2019 in IA)​
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Mentee parents were 7% more likely to be reunified​​
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Parents for Parents (2020 in WA)
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79% of mentee parents were reunified​
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Washington has an average statewide reunification rate of 46%(2)
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Parent Partner Program (2011 in CA)
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60% of mentee parents were reunified
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26% of parents without mentors reunified​
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Parent Advocate (2008 in KY)
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Children of mentee parents spent 44% less time in foster care​
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86% of mentee parents did not have a subsequent referral
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Sobriety Treatment & Recovery Teams (2012 in KY)
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Over 75% of mentee parents kept and parented their children or were reunified
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Every $1 spent on the program, the state saved $2.22 in costs of foster care
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​https://www.casey.org/Appendix-A-Research-Parent-Partner-Programs/
Parent Mentors in Texas
​There are only three organizations in Texas working with parent mentors who
have lived experience with CPS and Mosaic Advocacy is one of them.
We are the only organization building a parent mentor program specifically
working to employ reunified parents previously involved with CPS.
​
Foster Care Advocacy Center​ (Houston)
A multidisciplinary attorney firm representing parents and children involved with
child welfare with attorneys, social workers and a parent partner on staff.
Their 2024 impact report showed 60% reunification rate
(compared to 22% in Harris County) and 0% recidivism rate.
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Hearts of Courage (Dallas)
An organization of individuals with lived experience supporting Mothers in recovery,
involved with CPS and parenting children with disabilities.
Paused services as of May 2025.
FAQ
Are parent partners volunteers?
-> No. Our parent partner mentors are paid employees.
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How long after reunification can a parent become a mentor/parent partner?
-> Our parent partners have been reunified with their children for at least 12 months before mentoring other parents.​​
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Does a parent partner program save the state money?
-> Yes! A parent partner's time and training alone are less than half of what foster parent stipends are in Texas. A mentorship program can reduce the time a child spends in foster care and the risk of future re entry.
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Is a parent partner an attorney?
-> No. A parent partner doesn't replace an attorney or any other person on a child welfare case team. They work alongside mentee parents and the child welfare team to collectively help the family reunify safely.
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Is the parent partner program part of CPS?
-> Mosaic Advocacy is a non profit organization with a Board of Directors and is not affiliated with state agencies like CPS or DFPS. We accept referrals from and work alongside social workers and case workers employed by state agencies to help the family in crisis.