Peer Liaisons
What is a Peer Liaison?
IFAPA employs 12 Peer Liaisons across Iowa who mentor foster families and provide peer-to-peer support. IFAPA Peer Liaisons are established foster parents who have experience dealing with many of the same issues facing other foster families. They are trained to help empower foster families to advocate for the best interests of the children in their care and promote best practice. The Peer Liaisons will assist families in understanding DHS Child Welfare initiatives including: forming partnerships with birth families, maintain sibling connections and connections to a child’s culture, and participating in family interactions. They are knowledgeable about DHS policies and practices and can assist foster families to identify and address training needs.
Peer Liaisons will initiate contact with all newly licensed resource families to welcome them to foster care, to explain IFAPA’s programs and services, and to respond to a family’s questions or concerns. They can answer questions regarding:
- Foster parent licensing requirements
- Understanding the DHS chain of command
- Training requirements and the availability of training in the area
- Foster care reimbursement
- Medicaid/Title XIX
- Foster parent rights and responsibilities
- Availability of support groups in your area
- Confidentiality issues
- Resolution of communication issues with a social worker
- Respite care
- Changes within the foster care system
- Behavior challenges
If they do not know the answer to a question, they will help find the needed information. IFAPA Peer Liaisons will maintain confidentiality at all times.
IFAPA Peer Liaisons work part-time and each serve 200-250 families in their area. It may be necessary to leave a message, but all calls and emails will be returned timely.
DID YOU KNOW? IFAPA's Peer Liaisons and Resource Information Specialists provide support (phone, e-mail & face-to-face contact) to an average of 2,000 foster, adoptive and kinship parents each month?
Who is My Peer Liaison?
Use the following chart to find your peer liaison. Each liaison is responsible for working with the families living in their assigned counties.
| IFAPA Peer Liaisons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name of Liaison | Contact Information | Counties Covered by Liaison |
| Dave Brace | Toll-free: 866-547-1753 Independence area: 319-334-4547 Email: Dbrace-ifapa@indytel.com |
Allamakee, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Howard & Winneshiek |
| Kim Edwards | Toll-free: 877-845-4348 Sperry area: 319-985-2213 Email: edwardsifapa@yahoo.com |
Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Van Buren & Washington |
| Linda Dodson | Toll-free: 888-491-3455 Des Moines area: 515-953-0515 Email: Ldodsonifapa@q.com |
Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Union & Polk (only zip codes: 50009, 50035, 50073, 50169, 50237, 50301, 50305, 50312, 50313, 50314, 50315, 50316, 50317, 50320, 50321, 50327) |
| James Huston | Toll-free: 888-932-5041 Wilton area: 563-732-5041 Email: Jhuston.ifapa@hotmail.com |
Cedar, Clinton, Jackson, Louisa, Muscatine & Scott |
| Vickie Janssen | Toll-free: 877-70-IFAPA Des Moines area: 515-961-0060 Email: Janssen.ifapa@live.com |
Boone, Dallas, Warren & Polk (only zip codes: 50021, 50023, 50109, 50111, 50131, 50226, 50263, 50265, 50266, 50310, 50311, 50322, 50323, 50325) |
| Julie Mather | Toll-free: 877-53-IFAPA Van Horne area: 319-228-8592 Email: Jmather_ifapa@netins.net |
Benton, Jones & Linn |
| Christie McGuire | Toll-free: 800-720-9850 code 62 Garner area: 641-923-2618 Email: cmcguireifapa@gmail.com |
Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Floyd, Hamilton, Hancock, Mitchell, Story, Winnebago, Worth & Wright |
| Dianna Seedorff | Toll-free: 888-622-4521 Waterloo area: 319-235-2534 Email: seedorff_ifapa@hotmail.com |
Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler, Franklin, Grundy, Hardin, Marshall & Tama |
| Julie Seemann | Toll-free: 800-484-6676 code 5754 Oskaloosa area: 641-673-4049 Email: Julies_ifapa@hotmail.com |
Appanoose, Jasper, Johnson, Iowa, Lucas, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Poweshiek, Wapello & Wayne |
| John Smith | Toll-free: 877-305-3396 Lake View area: 712-665-3396 Email: Jsmithifapa@netins.net |
Calhoun, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Humboldt, Ida, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster & Woodbury |
| Kelly Upton | Toll-free: 877-807-8009 Ruthven area: 712-837-5333 Email: kellyuifapa@ruthventel.com |
Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth & Sioux |
| Hector Villarreal | Toll-free: 877-352-1299 Council Bluffs area: 712-352-1299 Email: ifapa-hectorv@q.com |
Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Guthrie, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, Shelby & Taylor |
