Training Institutes 2012 - National Technical Assistance Center for ...

TARGETED INSTITUTE #20 9:30 AM SUNDAY • SUN D
A Collaborative Approach to Promoting Social-Emotional Well-Being for Children, Youth,
and Families in the Child Welfare System
OBJECTIVES—Participants will learn:
1. To identify key themes that are critical for improving comprehensive mental health services for children, youth, and
families in the child welfare system
2. To employ strategies for providing mental health services that use a collaborative approach to systems change in
order to improve access and delivery of mental health services
3. To describe the critical phases of planning and implementing change across systems
4. How to implement strategies for successfully engaging children, youth, and families in their own service planning
and as full partners in practice, policy, and system development and implementation
This Targeted Institute will focus on a promising approach to improving mental health outcomes for children, youth, and
families in the child welfare system. Faculty will highlight effective strategies for working collaboratively across
systems to effectively plan, implement, and sustain the wraparound practice model statewide for the mental health, child
welfare, and juvenile justice systems.
The strategies employed include building relationships and strengthening partnerships, creating a strong collaborative
team environment, conducting joint training, utilizing a shared database, partnering with families, emphasizing voice
and choice, focusing on screening and assessment, streamlining pathways to existing resources, services, and supports,
and expanding evidence-based practices.
The information and strategies to be presented are based on the experience of and lessons learned in North Dakota over
the last 10 years. North Dakota’s approach involves children, youth, and families as active partners; is statewide and
community-based; cuts across all systems (mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice); provides effective mental
health services; and addresses solutions systemically. North Dakota was selected as a pilot site for an in-depth review of
its children’s mental health system of care and wraparound practice model by the Georgetown University National
Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health. This review obtained information on the strategies employed,
challenges/barriers, and recommendations for sustainability and continuous improvement.
Specific topics to be covered include:
• Critical components for bringing child-serving agencies together to create systems change
• How to incorporate the wraparound practice approach into the child welfare system
• How to engage agency leaders in a collaborative process of planning for and implementing change
Faculty will also outline major strategies for cross-system collaboration including: establishing relationships and gaining
an increased understanding of each systems role; creating shared philosophy and values; creating buy-in from key
stakeholders; agreeing on a common language, database, and outcomes; creating a training plan to implement the
model; being flexible and adaptable; and focusing on continuous program improvement.
Participants will have an opportunity to discuss how the collaboration strategies can be applied in their agencies, states,
and communities through a peer learning exchange. The faculty team for the session will offer the perspectives of the
research team, a mental health agency administrator, and a parent partner.
MODERATOR/PRESENTER: Lan Le, M.P.A., Policy Associate, National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s
Mental Health, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, Washington, DC
Debra Cady, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., Director of Child Welfare Policy, National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s
Mental Health, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, Washington, DC
Wendy Borman, M.S.W., Children’s Mental Health Program Administrator, Mental Health & Substance Abuse, North
Dakota Dept of Human Services, Bismarck, ND
Carlotta McCleary, Executive Director, North Dakota Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Bismarck, ND
Training Institutes 2012
TARGETED INSTITUTES
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