Project Overview

The Promoting Recovery pilot study will examine the practices of Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) in assisting parents involved in the child welfare system due to substance use. In collaboration with Santa Maria Hostel, the study will identify promising strategies that PRSS use to facilitate family reunification, reduce parental stress, and increase engagement in recovery programs. Led by Dr. Rebecca Gomez, with co-investigators Dr. Barbara Ball and Dr. Monica Faulkner, this research aims to establish a scalable model for integrating peer support into child welfare systems nationwide.

Project Purpose & Design

The Promoting Recovery Pilot Study seeks to reach three specific aims.

Conduct an environmental scan and document Texas PRSS supporting child welfare-involved parents or those at risk for child welfare involvement. We will analyze available services based on the geographic location, setting, certification and training requirements, program goals, and the role of PRSS in supporting parents.
Gather detailed information about PRSS practices and learn about challenges and opportunities they experience in working with child welfare-involved parents. We will interview 20 PRSS and analyze how they navigate goals important to both parent and children, build recovery capital, and strengthen family relationships.
Assess how PRSS define and track outcomes of their work. We will examine data collected to document peer support services, type of services, dosage, and outcomes. In addition, we will explore PRSS’ perspectives on outcomes that should be measured to demonstrate whether peer recovery support services work for child-welfare involved parents.