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This Web site is a component of the SAMHSA Health Information Network. |
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Center for Mental Health Services
Division of Service and Systems Improvement
Child, Adolescent, and Family Branch
Statewide Family Networks
DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the Family Network and Support Program is to provide families of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances (SED) the support and assistance needed to contribute to the development of effective Statewide Family Networks. Statewide Family Networks are critical to achieving full participation of families in planning, designing, implementing and evaluating services for the target population. Over the past 15 years, the Center for Mental Health Services has acquired increasing evidence to suggest the engagement of trained and empowered family members is an essential ingredient of systems of care, and that such systems can result in increased family satisfaction for themselves as a family unit and for their children in specific. Network activities include developing support groups; disseminating information and technical assistance through clearinghouses; maintaining toll-free telephone numbers, information and referral networks, and newsletters; sponsoring conference and workshops; outreach activities; serving as a liaison with various human service agencies, developing skills in organizational management and financial independence ; training and advocacy for children’s services. Several of the projects sites in the Statewide Family Network Program specifically focus on the needs of ethnic minorities and rural families’ issues. The target population includes families of children and adolescents from birth to 18 years of age with a serious emotional disturbance. The Family Network and Support Program : 1) fosters collaboration among key stakeholders (i.e. families, advocates, networks, etc...) 2) promotes skills development of family-controlled organizations, and 3) identifies and implements a strategy to address technical assistance needs for family-controlled organizations.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Mississippi’s family organization, in collaboration with the business community and state legislators, developed policy support for community based service delivery for children and adolescents with SED.
- Kansas’ family organization worked cooperatively with the state mental health authority to provide information to legislators. This cooperation, led to the development of the state’s home and community based waver which allows families to be authorized service providers in Kansas.
- Georgia’s family organization has become a state contracted service provider working with sex-offending adolescents.
Funded Communities
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