Certified Family Partner (CFP)

A Family Partner is a parent or legally authorized representative (LAR) who has experience raising a child or adolescent with an emotional, behavioral health or mental health challenge and at least one year of experience successfully navigating a child-serving system.

Certified Family Partner services are recognized by SAMHSA as an evidence-based practice. CFP certification training is currently offered at no cost through the Centralized Training Infrastructure (CTI) and must be completed within one year.

What is a Certified Family Partner (CFP)?

This person may be a birth parent, adoptive parent, foster parent or family member standing in for an absent parent or a person chosen by the family or youth to have the role of parent. A Family Partner is trained to use their lived experience to help other parents and guardians for the purpose of assisting with navigation of a child-serving system, providing education, and instilling hope throughout the recovery process.

A Certified Family Partner (CFP) has received specialized training and passed a Certification exam demonstrating that she or he has the competencies necessary to successfully navigate child-serving systems of care and help other families successfully navigate those systems.

Your Questions Answered

Learn more about becoming a Certified Family Partner (CFP)

The work of a CFP is centered around providing support to families based on their own lived experience raising a child with behavioral health challenges and successfully navigating a child-serving system. The support services a CFP provides are directed to the primary caregivers of children currently receiving assistance for behavioral health issues; this support is not provided to the child.

Certified Family Partners empower families to make their own decisions and take control of the care their child receives. CFPs offer empathy and hope of recovery to those they serve by ensuring the support they provide is recovery-oriented, person-centered and trauma-informed. In developing a respectful, collaborative relationship with others, CFPs help families navigate and stay engaged in community support services to benefit the well-being of their children.

Certified Family Partners work in a variety of settings, such as:

  • Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs)
  • Schools
  • Hospitals
  • Shelters
  • Residential treatment centers (RTCs)
  • Juvenile justice centers

CFPs offer a variety of important and helpful services for families, such as:

  • Introducing the family to the mental health treatment process
  • Modeling advocacy skills
  • Educating families, providers and the community about family-driven voice and choice
  • Problem-solving and goal-setting
  • Making referrals
  • Providing skills training for parents/LARs
  • Helping to identify community resources and supports for the child and family
  • Participating in Wraparound services
  • Leading family support groups

If you desire to become a Certified Family Partner (CFP) in the state of Texas, you must meet the following criteria:

  • be at least 18 years of age
  • Have a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate issued in accordance with the law of the issuing state (GED)
  • Be the parent or Legal Authorized Representative (LAR) of a child/youth with behavioral health needs
  • Have at least one year of lived experience as a child’s parent or legal guardian (with documented legal authority) navigating a child-serving system (e.g., mental health, substance use, juvenile justice, social security, special education) for a child with a serious emotional disorder, mental health and or substance use condition
  • Be willing to publicly identify as a parent or caregiver with lived experience parenting a child with behavioral health needs

No. Training is required, but certification is issued only after you complete the TCB application and requirements.

Not always. Many organizations hire into family support roles and allow time to complete certification if it is required for the position. Family partners working in LMHAs have 1 year to become certified after being hired in the role.

CFPs must provide proof of 20 hours of CE every 2 years when submitting their recertification application to TCB.

CEs must be from a TCB-approved provider for the CFP credential and relevant to the CFP core values. Confirm the provider and CE designation before registering. 

Steps to become a Certified Family Partner (CFP)

Meet minimum eligibility qualifications

(see above)

Enroll in the Family Partner Certification class

through the Centralized Training Infrastructure (CTI) website.

Submit your application

Submit the required Family Partner Certification application (available on your CTI account once you have registered for the Certification training).

Complete Interview

Complete a brief phone or virtual screening interview with a certification trainer.

Complete basic training and pass final exam

Attend and participate in the 5-day basic certification training through CTI. Pass a final exam given on the last day of the training.

Apply for certification

Apply for initial certification with the Texas Certification Board (TCB). Family Partners have up to one year to complete the full certification process.