
The Family Division is transitioning to
Family Peers for Hope
Mission
To lead the development and expansion of family peer support in Montana, providing hope, empowering families, building connections, and inspiring change.
Welcome! You are not Alone!
We are parents and caregivers of children with special health care needs. It is our lived experience as family members that sets us apart. We support each other as we seek wellness for ourselves, our children, and our families through the concepts of hope, self-advocacy, education, peer support, empowerment, and resiliency. We believe that these concepts are universal for parents and caregivers regardless of the child’s special healthcare need, behavioral health challenge, or diagnosis. We also believe that recovery, defined by SAMHSA as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential, is possible for everyone. We are a member-based organization with a board of directors and staff. Our main office is located in Ennis, Montana. Our staff and board of directors are located across Montana.
What is a Family Peer Supporter?
A Family Peer Supporter is a parent or caregiver with lived experience raising a child with a behavioral health challenge and/or special healthcare need along with training who provides support to another parent or caregiver who is currently raising a child with a behavioral health challenge and/or special healthcare need. The Family Peer Supporter works directly with the parent or caregiver, not the child, providing emotional support, resources, and connection to community.
Read more about our Family Peer Support Pilot Project.
What does a Family Peer Supporter do?
- engages in empathetic listening and promotes positive feelings towards utilizing services
- provides flexible, community-based peer support services designed to promote wellness, empowerment, and resiliency
- provides insight and hope
- validates and normalizes feelings of fear and confusion through a shared lived experience
- connects families with community resources and follows up to provide continued support
- helps parents develop natural supports and positive approaches for addressing their family’s day to day needs
- encourages parents to adopt and prioritize self care strategies for themselves
Types of Support
Emotional Support– provides connection from people who have “been there.”
Informational Support- includes providing connections to resources, making referrals, and giving information about the children’s health system.
Educational Support- focuses on helping you understand your child's needs, increasing your knowledge and skills, and guiding you in accessing your natural supports.
Concrete Support- includes things such as helping arrange childcare and transportation, finding support groups, and assistance in developing recovery plans.
Task Force
The Family Peer Support Task Force and Steering Committee wrapped up with a final in-person meeting in September 2023 in Helena. The FPS Task Force met all goals and created for the profession of Family Peer Support in MT: Scope of Practice, Code of Ethics, Core Competencies, Training Standards, and Certification Requirements. Our Family Support Toolkit is now available. We are proud of the accomplishments and thankful to the members who dedicated their time.
But the work continues! MPN’s Family Action Committee is currently working towards certification and funding for Family Peer Support. If you are interested in being part of this important work for families, apply here.

Circle of Parents Support Groups
Benchmark Human Services
Children with special healthcare needs
Hill County, Havre
Amanda Christofferson
406-399-3309
Butte 4 C's
Children with special healthcare needs
Silver Bow, Butte
Travis Jackson
406-498-3125
Alliance for Youth
Foster families & Parents in recovery
Cascade County, Great Falls
Isis Olsen
Mineral County Health Dept
Postpartum Mental Health
Mineral, Superior
Jess Schaak
Cell: 406-499-1249
Office: 406-822-3564
Missoula Public School District
Children with special healthcare needs
Missoula County, Missoula
JJ Blood (James)
406-830-8311
Big Horn County Austism Support & Acceptance
Children with special healthcare needs
Big Horn County, Crow Indian Reservation
Luella Brien
Benchmark Human Services-Peace Place
Children with special healthcare needs
Cascade County, Great Falls
Amy Clure
406-781-9242
Early Childhood Coalition of Beaverhead County
Postpartum Mental Health
Beaverhead County, Dillon
Amber Lacey
720-352-9855
Family Forum Blog
Introducing Family Peers for Hope
FPH was founded to meet a growing need in Montana: an independent, family-run organization focused exclusively on developing a statewide family support network and advancing the Certified Family Peer Support Specialist workforce. The organization is led by Executive Director Beth Ayers joined by Community Outreach Coordinator Kayla Myers and guided by an experienced Board of Directors, each of whom are parents or caregivers of children with behavioral health challenges and/or special healthcare needs.
No Shame in the Struggle
September is a month filled with awareness and reflection, particularly for those of us who have witnessed the power of recovery, resilience, and healing. As we celebrate Recovery Month, it’s a time to acknowledge the often difficult yet transformative journey individuals and families face as they overcome mental health challenges.
For me, this month holds deep meaning. As a mother of two boys and a former Family Peer Supporter, I’ve had the privilege and the heavy responsibility of helping others navigate the complexities of mental health recovery. I’ve worked with families in distress, and I’ve watched individuals confront their deepest struggles. But I’ve also seen the incredible strength, courage, and growth that recovery can bring.
Bullying Among Children with Special Needs
Bullying remains one of the most persistent issues affecting children and adolescents, often leading to devastating consequences. Among the most vulnerable populations are children with special healthcare needs and mental health conditions. These children are disproportionately targeted due to their perceived differences, and they frequently lack the resources or support systems to defend themselves or seek help.
Honoring the Heart of Parenting
Parenting is early mornings with tired eyes and late nights filled with worry. It’s asking myself, Did I say the right thing? Was I too soft? Too strict? Too distracted? Too emotional? Am I giving them enough? Am I enough? It’s making a thousand decisions a day and second-guessing at least half of them. It’s pouring from a cup that sometimes feels empty, and still showing up the next day with whatever strength I can find. Because their love keeps me going.
Chronic Disease Awareness Day
Managing the physical, mental, and emotional toll of chronic diseases can be isolating for both the individual and their family. As people in recovery and parents/caregivers of children with special healthcare needs including behavioral health, we know firsthand the feelings of frustration, isolation, despair, and hopelessness. We know the challenges of finding treatment and advocating to be heard. We know the hope in finding joy and meaning living with chronic health conditions.
Raising Boys, Growing Men: A Mom’s Reflection on Mental Health
I’m a mom of boys, loud, messy, hilarious, curious, deep-feeling boys.
And if I’m honest, one of my greatest hopes, besides them eventually learning to do their laundry and clean up after themselves, is that they grow into men who feel safe being whole. Not just strong or stoic or successful. But soft when they need to be. Honest. Vulnerable. Supported.
Because here’s the truth, one I’ve heard from every mom of boys and quietly carried myself: the world still struggles to let our sons be fully human.
We tell our kids, “It’s okay to cry,” but somewhere between kindergarten and manhood, that message gets lost. Replaced by phrases like “man up,” “don’t be soft,” and “real men don’t talk about their feelings.” And those words don’t just bounce off; they sink in. They settle deep.
Awareness into Action
Reposted from Mental Health America’s Mental Health Month 2025 Planning Guide While one in five people experience a mental health condition each year, every single one of us has a mind to take care of. Furthermore, mental health is not just a personal issue—it’s a societal one. And the need for action has never been greater.This…
Supporting Young Minds
Written by ChatGPT. Edited and enhanced by Beth Ayers, Peer Support Training CoordinatorMay 6, 2025Children’s Mental Health Week: Supporting Young Minds for a Healthier FutureEach year, Children’s Mental Health Week serves as a vital reminder of the importance of nurturing the emotional well-being of children and young people. Children’s Mental Health Week shines a spotlight…
My Personal Hero, My Son
April is Autism Awareness Month, a time that holds deep meaning for my family and countless others around the world. My son is almost 9 years old, and he is non-speaking. While he may not use words in the way most people do, he communicates in a hundred other beautiful, meaningful ways. I am always seeking the words for my personal hero, my son.
My Journey with ARFID
As a parent, you often hear from others about how picky toddlers can be. When my daughter turned four, we attended her annual well-child appointment. The doctor, slightly condescendingly, showed me on her hand what a healthy plate of food should look like, emphasizing the protein and vegetable ratio. She felt the need to give me this information due to my daughter’s slightly higher BMI. At almost 45 years old, I would have had to live under a rock not to know what a healthy plate should consist of. This doctor was one of three who shamed me for my daughter’s BMI rather than asking about her food intake.