Child Mental Health: A Comprehensive, Collaborative Strategy

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

San Bernardino County Children and Family Services (CFS) has established an Administrative Joint Management Strategy and Structure to ensure that mental health services are provided to youth in the child welfare system in a comprehensive, systematic and sustained fashion. The strategy is being coordinated by an Administrative Joint Management Steering Committee (AJMSC) in collaboration with the County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and the Probation Department to guide implementation of directives under the Katie A. Core Practice Model (CPM). The AJMSC was formally established with a Memorandum of Understanding in September, 2014, though it had been operational for about a year before then. It consists of representatives from CFS, DBH, Probation Department, Juvenile Dependency Court (represented by the Presiding Judge), service providers, former foster youth, Parent Partners and Human Services support divisions. The AJMSC has also ensured that all children engaged in or at-risk of engaging in child welfare services are assessed for mental health services. CFS took an expansive approach and required Child and Family Team Meetings (CFTMs) for all class members. CFTMs use Safety Organized Practice (SOP) techniques to engage with families consistently throughout the continuum of care.