What is a Family Connections Program?

An Overview of a New Service Approach Being Developed by the Bay Area Residentially Based Services Consortium

The Challenge

• To better meet the needs of those children and youth who’s challenging behaviors and disrupted family relationships now still result in a cascade of multiple placements, despite the availability of intensive home and community services through wraparound, therapeutic behavioral services and intensive treatment foster care The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 2

The Response

• • To stop the cascade of placements at the beginning By providing a safe and stable short term residential component in a family connections center where program staff can help children or youth and their families: – Understand the driving forces behind the big behaviors and family disruptions – Develop strategies for living together safely and effectively – Practice those strategies both on site at the family connections center and at home and in the community – Receive the support and services needed to complete the adjustments required to maintain their new life strategies after the child or youth has returned home.

The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 3

What’s Different

• • • • The way group homes are used now for residential treatment is to try a placement at one facility, and if the strategies used there don’t work, move the child or youth to another one The problem with searching in this manner is that each move further shreds the already limited ability of the child or youth to form and sustain positive attachments Family Connections Programs are designed to be able to change intervention strategies without having to move children They are like Mayo Clinics for families with complex needs The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 4

What’s in an FCP?

• There are four primary components in an FCP: – A residential component that maintains a safe and stable milieu for children and youth who are generating big behaviors related to the disruption of their family relationships – A family connections component that uses a multi-disciplinary, family centered process to work with children or youth and their families or primary adult caregivers to understand and address the driving forces behind the behaviors and disruptions – A mobile family support component that can help children, youth and families transfer the insights and skills they develop in the family connections center out into their homes and communities – A clinical assessment and treatment component that can help children youth and families better understand and respond to specific psycho social and neurobiological factors affecting child and youth behaviors and family relationship disruptions The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 5

What’s the FCP Process?

• The 4 steps of the FCP process are designed to produce 4 products:

Process Steps

Engagement and Assessment Plan Development Plan Implementation and Modification Transition

Products

Answers and Understanding Strategies and Actions Learning, Changes and Adjustments Stability and Maintenance The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 6

What Services Are Included?

• • • • • • A Family Connections Program provides a hub from which a rich array of support and services can be accessed Each child or youth and family brings with them a different set of strengths, needs, culture and preferences For this reasons each response by the FCP must be uniquely assembled from the available options The service team and the family have to know, understand and trust one another to effectively match help with needs The core services for identifying and executing this match are contained within the FCP The extended array of options is available directly, or through subcontracts and referrals made by the FCP service team The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 7

Day Treatment

Bringing Everything Together

Family Finding and Engagement FCP Service and Support Options Wraparound Building Social Support Intensive Treatment Foster Care Clinical Assessment & Treatment Family Support Team FCP Core Components Family Connection Activities Mobile Crisis Services Family Resource Centers Residential Resource Crisis Stabilization Multi Systemic Therapy Therapeutic Behavioral Services Functional Family Therapy Parent Effectiveness Training The core components of a Family Connections Program includes the Family Support Team, The Family Connections Activities, the Residential Resource, and the Clinical Assessment and Treatment Services. Examples of the array of support and treatment service options that can be provided directly, by subcontract or through referral are arranged around the core components.

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Family Connections Programs and Permanency

Sometimes when children and youth have challenging behaviors and family disruptions that place them on the brink of a life course of multiple placements and detachment, it is unclear where and with whom their best opportunity for achieving safety, permanency and well-being can be achieved.

Traditionally, this challenge has been addressed through trying out multiple living arrangements As an alternative in these circumstances, the FCP will be a crucible where permanency issues can be evaluated and resolved, including questions related to concurrent planning and parental capacity while maintaining a family-centered focus The core question driving permanency resolution is “What and who does this child or youth, with her or his complex of strengths, needs and preferences, need in order to achieve permanency, safety and well-being?” The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 9

BAC RBS System Flow Chart

FTM used in CW., Probation Officer, in JJ, or MH Case Manager Authorization follows Consortium Criteria and Protocols Referrals coordinated via the BAC Coordinator Primary CM selects FCP as an option FST Facilitator Builds Strengths/ Needs/ Goals Inventory Clinical Care Unit completes assessment IPC authorizes FCP enrollment Convene FST develop Unified Plan of Care MH Clinician prepares individual MH treatment plan Child and family matched with appropriate FCP CW and JJ placements must be pursuant to ct. order Implem ent Unified Plan of care Begin Family Engagement, Establish FST. Parallel Comm. Services Stabilization and assessment in Residential Component FST monitors and documents services and progress, reports to court and IAPRC, adjusts plans, moves to transition Gradual and supported transition to a stable and resilient family and community connection supported by directly accessed formal, informal and natural resources The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 10

Bay Area Consortium Organizational Chart

3 Executive Co Chairs

BAC Executive Committee:

4 County Mental Health Directors 4 County Child Welfare Directors 4 Provider Executive Directors

BAC Coordinating Committee:

4 County Mental Health Leads 4 County Child Welfare Leads 4 Provider Leads Juvenile Probation Liaisons Youth Advocacy Representative Family Advocacy Representative Educational Liaisons Community Service Agency Liaisons 3 CC Co-Chairs

Coordinating Committee Support:

• BAC Coordinator • Local Implementation Coordinators • RBS Consultants The BAC Family Connections Program

4 County Interagency Placement Committees 4 Family Connections Programs

Overview, August 14, 2009 11

The BAC Network of Resource Connections

Within 2 years of operation, the BAC will consist of a network of 4 FCPs serving approximately 100 children or youth and their families. Each FCP will have a capacity of 25 enrollees. Each county will contract or arrange for from 10 to 55 enrollments at any given time. The BAC Family Connections Program Overview, August 14, 2009 12