How are we making a difference?
Our organization supports parents impacted by Child Protective Services (CPS)
in Texas by connecting them with free mentor and support services.
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Parents in our program are paired with mentors who were also impacted by CPS in the past. Our mentor parents completed their services plan, had their case closed and reunified with their children.
Mentors come alongside impacted parents as they work through their court mandated services plan, helping with navigating the system, finding resources and learning to advocate for their families.
Our staff and Board of Directors have extensive knowledge and living experience within the foster ecosystem. We have foster caregivers, social workers and impacted parents on our team. We utilize their knowledge and skills to collaborate with every part of a parent's team (CPS, CASA, attorneys & services providers) so we can work together to reunify more children safely with their parents.
Credit: National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC)
In addition to support and mentor services,
our program is different because we:
1. Help facilitate co-parenting relationships between parents & foster caregivers
2. Follow our families for two years post return to help them stabilize
What do Peer 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 the foster system
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Can lower state funds spent on the foster system
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Better prepare parents with safe parenting skills​
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Help parents build community connections and support
Program Goals
Projected Outputs (2027)
Outcomes
(short-term)
Impact
(long-term)
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20 families enrolled
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75% of families reunified
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100+ referrals made
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0% families reentering the foster system
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3 new peer mentors employed
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Increase reunification rate
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Decrease parent anxiety
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Reduce recidivism
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Parents report feeling less isolated
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Peer mentors gain career skills & income stability
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Less children in the system
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Lower CPS caseloads
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Harmful cycles are broken
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Less taxpayer funds spent on the state system
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Living experience reforms the system
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 the foster system. 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 case/services plan to complete.
This plan can have items like drug tests, securing alternate housing, seeing a therapist, etc.
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Below, is an outline of milestones during a CPS case and our goals as an organization
as we support parents who are working to reunify with their children.​​
Prior to an Open CPS Case
Parents may have unhealthy,
unsafe or non existent support.
Child can be experiencing abuse/neglect.
Outcomes with program engagement:
Mosaic mentors help parents understand their rights, the proposed trajectory of the case, act as a support in a time of crisis
and helps establish visitations quickly
with their children.
During Life of Case
Parents are working with little support/education to complete
their court ordered services.
Outcomes with program engagement:
Mosaic mentors help parents navigate the system, connect to community resources, make short and long term goals, build a relationship with the foster family and help advocate for their rights.
Long Term/Post Reunification
Parents have reached previously set goals from the beginning of the case and shown that they can safely parent their children.
Outcomes with program engagement:
Parents have safe community support ready on day one of reunification to help support the family. They have set goals to work towards and made a plan for children's school/daycare, medical providers, therapists, etc.
Parents in our program are better prepared to care for their children once reunified and their children have a lower risk of experiencing reentry into the foster system.
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/
Peer Mentor Programs for CPS Impacted Parents in Texas
​There are only three organizations in Texas working with peer/parent mentors who have
living experience with CPS and Mosaic Advocacy is the only Central Texas
organization with a model that employs reunified parents previously impacted by CPS.
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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 announced a 60% reunification rate for their program
participants (compared to 22% in Harris County) and 0% recidivism.
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​One Hope Village (Decatur)
An organization of volunteer mentors with living experience
supporting parents navigating their open CPS cases.
Their reunification rate is 72% for their program participants.
FAQ
Are parent partners volunteers?
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No. Our mentors are paid employees.
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How long after reunification can a parent become a mentor/parent partner?
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Our mentors 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?
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Yes! Our mentor's time and training alone are less than half of what foster home stipends are in Texas. Program models like ours can reduce the time a child spends in the foster system and the risk of future reentry.
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Is a Mosaic mentor an attorney?
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No. Our mentors don't replace an attorney or any other person on a legal team. They work alongside impacted parents and the team to collectively help the family reunify safely.
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Is a Mosaic mentor part of CPS, CASA, the foster family or my attorney's team?
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No. 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.