System of Care for Children, Youth and Families
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System of Care
A System of Care (SOC)* is defined as "a spectrum of effective, community-based services and supports for children and youth with or at risk for behavioral health or other challenges and their families, that is organized into a coordinated network, builds meaningful partnerships with families and youth, and addresses their cultural and linguistic needs, in order to help them to function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life."
The Core Values* support all SOC efforts in being:
- Youth- and family-driven
- Community-based
- Culturally and linguistically appropriate
The Guiding Principles* of the SOC support children, youth, and families in having access to:
- A comprehensive array of effective, community-based services and supports.
- A service planning process that is strength-based and individualized.
- Evidence-informed and promising practices.
- Services and supports that are delivered in the least restrictive, most normative environments possible.
- Partnerships with families and youth.
- Effective care management supports.
- Developmentally appropriate services.
- A continuum of behavioral health promotion, prevention, early identification, intervention, and recovery services and supports.
- A system that supports provider accountability and quality improvement tracking.
- Protection of their rights.
- Services and supports that are provided without discrimination.
*Adapted from Stroul, B., Blau, G., and Friedman, R., 2010.
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