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Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities Home Page
System of Care for Children, Youth and Families
Contact Information
275 E. Main Street 4WG
Frankfort, KY 40621
Phone: (502) 564-4456
Fax: (502) 564-9010
Hours: Monday–Friday
8:00 am–4:30 pm ET


Crisis Lines by County
Hotlines/Other Contacts
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Contact Us

Branch Manager
Beth Jordan
(502) 782-6172

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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