ohio family & children first presentation to the ode parent advisory council march 20, 2012...
TRANSCRIPT
Ohio Family & Children First
Presentation to the ODE Parent Advisory Council
March 20, 2012Angela Sausser Short, DirectorOhio Family and Children First
What Will Be Covered
Brief overview of Ohio Family and Children First (OFCF)
Family Engagement Efforts including the Red Treehouse
Youth and Young Adults in Transition Efforts
OFCF - Who We Are
A partnership of state and local government, communities, and families that work
together to enhance the well-being of Ohio’s children and families by building community capacity, strategically
coordinating systems and services, and engaging and empowering families.
OFCF Cabinet CouncilAt the State Level, that partnership is mandated to consist of:• Governor’s Office• Departments of Aging• Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services• Budget and Management• Developmental Disabilities• Education• Health • Job and Family Services• Mental Health• Rehabilitation and Correction• Youth Services• Rehabilitation Services Commission
88 County FCF CouncilsAt the Local Level, that partnership is mandated to consist of:•County Commissioners•At least 3 parents not employed by an agency on FCFC•Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board•General Health District•City Health Department•County Department of Job and Family Services•Children Services •Developmental Disabilities Board•Largest school district & School district representing all other districts•Largest municipal corporation•Department of Youth Services•Head Start•Early Childhood Representative •Non Profit agency•Others
Statutory Purpose
Ohio Family and Children First Cabinet Council was created in statute (ORC 121.37) in 1993 with the specific purpose:
to help families seeking government services…by streamlining and
coordinating existing services for families seeking assistance for their
children.
Coordin
ate
Syste
ms &
Servic
es
Engage & Empower Families
Build Com
munity
Capacity
FCFC Core Functions
Shared Accountabi
lity
What is “Family Engagement”?
• Multiple Definitions
• Depends on who you ask,at what level, for whichsystem, and for what purpose
Family Engagement Levels1. Family Focused: train, educate, or support parents.
Usually system or diagnosis specific and general information for support. Most common level.
2. System Focused: case level assistance in service/treatment planning and supports identification at local level. Advocating for more support for their family and other families.
3. Policy Focused: advocating to the state departments, legislature, and local government for policy changes, system changes, funding.
Family Engagement & Empowerment Research
• Research revealed Ohio is rich in resources for engaging and support families, but there is a lack of coordination so duplication is occurring.
• Recommendations focused on: (1) networking parent advocacy resources; (2) improving communication; (3) creating leadership opportunity; (4) improving parent-professional partnerships; (5) increase participation in policy decisions
OFCF Family Engagement Committee
• Formed in June 2009 by OFCF with membership consisting of parents, state department representatives, parent advocates, state associations, and other key stakeholders.
• Purpose: To strengthen and enhance family engagement opportunities and resources in Ohio by coordinating efforts across systems and the state.
OFCF Family Engagement Committee
1. Parent Advocacy: Identifying existing parent advocacy supports and trainings and coordinate such resources. Identifying current gaps in parent advocacy supports. Needs/Resource Assessment Systems Information for Red Treehouse website Tips for parents when working with systems Parent Advocacy Connection and its connection with other
parent advocacy groups (trainings, network, sharing resources, etc.)
OFCF Family Engagement Committee
2. Parent/Professional: Identifying existing parent/professional trainings, including family engagement and parent leadership. Connecting parents to such opportunities. Identifying ways for Ohio to strengthen parent & professional partnerships. Training survey administered & analyzed Organizations will promote via the Red Treehouse website Revised the “How Friendly Is Your Agency” checklist Researching national training curricula for family engagement Considering a cross-system family engagement conference
in future
OFCF Family Engagement Committee
3. Red Treehouse: Created in partnership with the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland for families, young adults, and professionals. Serve as Ohio’s Network for Family Engagement, to help families
and professionals promote the well-being of children and young adults, prenatal to age 25.
Actively engage, motivate and empower families Strengthen parent professional partnerships. Personalize information retrieval according to location, age
of child or young adult, and topic of need or interest.
RedTreehouse.org Professionals and organizations can:
• Post events• Expand outreach • Broaden geographic reach• Direct visitors to their websites
Red Treehouse is not an information/referral system, such as a 211.
Red Treehouse Launch Dates
LAUNCH SCHEDULE:Regions 1 & Remainder of 3: February 2012Regions 8 & 9: April 2012Regions 7 &10: August 2012Regions 2 & 6: January 2013Region 5: April 2013
October 12, 2011 Launched: Cuyahoga & Lorain
Next Steps with Family Engagement
Expand the Red Treehouse website statewide and with more organizations and resources
Increase parent advocacy resources in Ohio
Strengthen parent & professional partnerships in Ohio
Identify, support, and promote policy opportunities for family engagement within state government
OFCF YYAT Steering Committee
• At the request of the Governor, the Youth and Young Adult in Transition (YYAT) Steering Committee was formed in Sept. 2009 with youth and young adults, OFCF state agencies, youth advocacy organizations, local organizations and statewide associations
• Purpose: align and consolidate policies, efforts, and resources; and identify any major service gaps for this particularly vulnerable and often overlooked population.
OFCF YYAT Steering Committee
• Completed an inventory of existing efforts and investments for YYAT within the 13 state departments
• Reviewed data for the YYAT population in Ohio and across the country
• Began strategic planning
• Identified 5 priority areas for planning
YYAT Steering Committee Strategic Priority #1
Establish a Comprehensive System of Sustainable Resources by Aligning Agencies’ Processes and
PoliciesStrategies include:• Formalizing the YYAT Steering Committee • Creating a zone of eligibility• Increase viable housing options• Maintain active inventory of funding for YYAT• Create comprehensive transition planning
YYAT Steering Committee Strategic Priority #2
CommunicationStrategies include:• Develop a communication plan
– State agencies communication with YYAT– Website for youth to view all available resources, services, & supports
available– Develop and implement street card youth teams– Develop street cards for youth
YYAT Steering Committee Strategic Priority #3
Empowering Youth & Families with Tools for Successful Transition
Strategies include:• Empower youth and families to self advocate• Equip youth with necessary skills for living, working, learning
independently • Create community connections for youth• Promote access to higher education/adult training/tech training
and employment opportunities
Accomplishments!!! Conducted a resource assessment and identified possible programs
to add to the Ohio Benefit Bank Identified assessment policies that need to be
revised for youth to better access services Identified other areas where policies need to be changed or
modified to improve service delivery to youth Created an unified transition plan that will become available on the
Ohio Benefit Bank in April 2012 Conducted a survey that assessed the various youth engagement
trainings and Youth Advisory Councils in Ohio Conducted a survey with youth to determine how they prefer to
receive communication and information Launched the Red Treehouse for YYAT
Next Steps with YYAT Continue work with the Training Subcommittee that is focused
on establishing core competencies and standards for Youth Advisory Board
Continue work with the Eligibility Subcommittee to upload the final YYAT Universal Transition Plan to the Ohio Benefit Bank and request all state agencies to adopt the plan
Merge the Communication Subcommittee with the ODMH SAMHSA System of Care Grant, ENGAGE, focused on YYAT
Continue developing a more comprehensive and achievable plan for the state to improve services and supports to YYAT through the ENGAGE Planning Process
Contact: Angela Sausser Short, Ohio Family and Children First [email protected]
P: 614.644.1506F: 614.728.0170| | https://sites.google.com/site/engageohio/
ODMH System of Care Grant from SAMHSA (Oct 2011 – Sept 2012)
ENGAGE’s Target PopulationYouth and young adults in transition, ages 14 – 21 years, with serious emotional disturbances or serious mental illnesses, including co-occurring disorders, and multi-system needs*. *Multi-system means one or more of the following needs that may include, but is not limited to,
◦ Developmental Disabilities◦ Education and Higher Education◦ Child Welfare◦ Juvenile / Criminal Justice◦ Substance Abuse◦ Primary Health Care◦ Housing◦ Social Services◦ Vocational Counseling and Rehabilitation◦ WIA, employment services
ENGAGE’s Purpose
To develop a statewide system of care framework that coordinates and adapts policy, fiscal and administrative actions to support the transition of Ohio’s youth and young adults to adulthood.
What is a System of Care?A spectrum of effective, community-based services
and supports for children and youth with mental health challenges, and their families, that is:
• Coordinated• Built on meaningful partnerships with families
and youth; • Addresses cultural and linguistic needs
to help them function better at home, in school, at work, in the community, and throughout life.
ENGAGE’s Purpose
To develop a statewide system of care framework that coordinates and adapts policy, fiscal and administrative actions to support the transition of Ohio’s youth and young adults to adulthood.
ENGAGE’s Purpose
To develop a statewide system of care framework that coordinates and adapts policy, fiscal and administrative actions to support the transition of Ohio’s youth and young adults to adulthood.
System of Care Approach
ENGAGE Proposed Goals1. Foster the voices of YYAT and families voices of YYAT and families in SOC
expansion and as it pertains to the needs of the target population.
2. Enhance the availability of quality services along the services along the prevention, treatment, resiliency and recovery prevention, treatment, resiliency and recovery continuum and pursue the integration of physical and behavioral health services for YYAT.
3. Strengthen the availability of appropriate supportive servicessupportive services and psychosocial education for YYAT and their families.
ENGAGE Proposed Goals4. Expand the availability of workforce development workforce development
servicesservices for YYAT.
5. Improve intersystem coordination intersystem coordination and recommend appropriate governance structure(s) (if applicable) for statewide SOC expansion focused on YYAT.
6. Generate support for statewide SOC expansion focused on YYAT (social marketingsocial marketing).
Draft Future OutcomesDirect Impact for
YYATDirect Impact for
Families/CaregiversDirect Impact for
System
• Improved functioning•Increased strengths•Fewer suicide attempts•Improved school performance•Reduced contacts with law enforcement•Less reliance on inpatient care•More stable living situations
•Reduced strain•Fewer missed days of work•Improved family functioning
•Increased effectiveness of services•Reduced need for expensive, high-end services (inpatient & residential)•Re-investment in home and community-based services & supports
Key Issues Rising to the Top• Consider state financial policies state financial policies to incentivize SOC for YYAT, i.e.
flexibility with funding, Medicaid
• Access to data Access to data to understand the YYAT population’s service utilization and information sharing protocols
• Establish a cross-system youth driven board/councilcross-system youth driven board/council
• Address inconsistency of eligibility inconsistency of eligibility for YYAT access to services
• Establish single point of contactsingle point of contact for YYAT
• Increase support services support services for YYAT (respite, mentors)
• Increase viable housing options viable housing options for YYAT
Thank You!!
For more information about OFCF and our current efforts, contact:
Angela Sausser ShortOFCF Director & ENGAGE Project Director
(614) [email protected]