Building Bridges Between Residential and Community-Based Service Delivery Providers, Families, and Youth Read Comments | Post Your Own Comment
The purpose of the Summit was to: The Joint Resolution identifies an urgent need for transformation and envisions a comprehensive, flexible family-driven and youth-guided array of culturally competent and community-based services and supports, organized in an integrated and coordinated system of care in which families, youth, providers, advocates, and policymakers share responsibility for decision making and accountability for the care, treatment outcomes and well-being of children and youth with mental health needs and their families. Participants believe that actualizing this vision will yield a more efficient service delivery system, more effective and appropriate individualized services to children, youth and families, better use of resources, and improved outcomes. The meeting and Joint Resolution represent a new level of unity, partnership and collaboration among participating constituencies. A fundamental principle underlying this resolution is that children, youth and families are ultimately empowered across all areas. The group agreed to develop a multi-faceted strategy to promote the implementation of the Joint Resolution in policy and practice across the country. Meeting participants hope that the principles, values, and practices will be adopted and implemented by organizations, local communities, state and national associations, states, and the federal government. Currently, there are three active work groups dedicated to the work of building bridges. The work groups are focused on: Together we can all work to ensure access to a flexible, well-coordinated and comprehensive array of appropriate and individualized mental health services for children, youth, and their families. |
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An exciting and significant step towards transforming the children’s mental health system occurred at the Building Bridges Summit in Omaha, Nebraska on June 14-17, 2006. In order to address the historical tensions between residential and community-based service providers and systems, a meeting was held to better integrate and link residential (out-of-home) and community-based services and supports. The Summit participants were chosen because of the range of their experience and knowledge as well as their personal commitment to creating services that are respectful, empowering and effective. Participants included residential and home and community-based service providers, family members, youth, national and state policy makers, system of care council members, tribal representatives and representatives of national associations related to children’s mental health and residential care.
