Mentoring Children of Prisoners:Caregiver’s CHOICE

Overview

• Caregiver’s Choice Voucher Initiative

• The Process: Bringing Caregiver’s Choice to your community

How it works

• MENTOR recruits eligible children. • Between the ages of 4 and 18 with at least one

parent in a federal or state prison• Caregiver is a part of the mentoring program

decision

• MENTOR enrolls qualified mentoring programs.• Programs must apply and meet established

eligibility requirements

For Mentoring Program Providers

• Providers must meet quality standards in mentoring and working with families of the incarcerated

• Providers are trained on the opportunities and challenges specific to mentoring children with incarcerated parents

• Providers are also trained on the use and application of MentorPRO® Basic, the online data tracking system required for Caregiver’s Choice

MENTOR® approves program

Caregiver’s choose a program provider

Program Provider is notified

A mentor/mentee match is made – voucher is issued

A child is mentored for a one year commitment

Match Process

Benefits for Mentoring Programs

• New funding allows programs to serve more eligible children

• Access to federal dollars without large grant sizes and burdensome grant reporting

• Experience in serving children of prisoners, allowing greater competitiveness in applying for future HHS Mentoring Children of Prisoners grants or other grant funds

• Flexibility in participation levels, allowing for enrollment of as many or as few children to best meet capacity

Application Process for Mentoring Programs

General requirements to become an approved provider:

• Have been an established mentoring program for at least one full year (12 months)

• Support one-to-one mentoring matches over a twelve month period*

• Matches meet in person at least 4 hours per month

• Serve children between the ages of 4 and 18 years old

• Provide pre-match training for mentors and mentees

• Have clear screening policies and written policies and procedures

• Conduct FBI criminal fingerprint background checks

• Must have at least 1 FTE paid staff dedicated to mentoring (if less than 15 matches, staffing may be less than 1 FTE)

• Programs must have liability insurance

• Must have a sustainability plan

* School-based programs are asked to extend their commitment when school is not in session.

Application process for Mentoring Programs

How to apply:

• Go to the online application available at www.mentoring.org/caregiverschoice

• Caregiver’s Choice staff may call or email to clarify or request additional information and/or to make recommendations to assist programs meet the eligibility criteria

Application process for Mentoring Programs

Application decision

• Caregiver’s Choice may deny programs if they do not meet eligibility standards

• Programs will be notified on which standards were not met or if there is any incomplete information

• Programs are given a chance to address concerns and provide complete details on their program

• Programs that meet the eligibility standards will receive “provisional approval” status

The following trainings are required to move from provisional to final approved status:

• MentorPRO® Basic training – the online data tracking system required by MCOP: CC

• Mentoring Children of Prisoners training

• After completion of both trainings, programs will receive a username (usually the program administrator’s e-mail address) & password from MentorPRO® Basic

Programs must also return the assurances documents:

• signed by the board chair or designated representative

• agreeing to abide by project policies and guidelines

Moving from provisional to final approval

Final approval status

• After completion of both trainings

• Receipt of the signed assurances document

• Program information now appears on approved programs list given to caregivers

• Program is now able to accept vouchers and enroll children

• Program may now receive payments as the mentoring relationship reaches “mentoring milestones”

Application process for Mentoring Programs

Apply on-line

Follow up questions

Provisional approval

Completion of Trainings / Assurance Document

Final Approval

Application process

Mentoring Milestones

• Programs receive up to $1,000 per child, paid in three installments over the 12-month mentoring relationship

• Milestones are documented using MentorPRO® Basic

Mentoring Milestones• Milestone 1 ($600) includes screening and training of the

mentor, mentee orientation, an initial survey, and the first match meeting.

• Milestone 2 ($200) occurs at the three month juncture of the match. It focuses on the frequency and duration of match meetings and regular case management by the mentoring program.

• Milestone 3 occurs at the six month mark. While there is no payment at this milestone, all of the criteria must be met to be eligible for the payment at milestone 4. These criteria focus on those mentioned in the previous milestone.

• Milestone 4 ($200) occurs at 12 months. It includes the completion of the 9 month relationship quality survey, post match survey, frequency and duration of match as well as proper case management.

Application process for Programs

If your program is interested in completing the application process,

the deadline is set for:

Tuesday May 11, 2010

Contact InformationMass Mentoring Partnership

Jeanette Weisflog 617.695.2432

jweisflog@massmentoring.org

www.mentoring.org/caregiverschoice