Children's Mental Health Facts
SYSTEMS OF CARE
Helping Children and Youth with Serious Mental Health Needs: Systems of Care
In 1992, the U.S. Congress established the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families to support the development of systems of care for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families. "Serious emotional disturbances" refers to diagnosed behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders resulting in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits one more major life activities. The Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services Program for Children and Their Families is funded through Public Law 102-321.
What is System of Care?
A system of care is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is organzied to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, built on the strengths of individuals, and address each person's cultural and linguistic needs. A system of care helps children, youth and families function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life.
Why are Systems of Care Needed?
Five to nine percent of children and youth between the ages of 9 and 17 have serious emotional disturbances that cause a substantial functional impairment, and many do not receive the supports and services they need to reach their full potential at home, at school, and in their communities.
Children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families need supports and services from many different child and family -serving agencies and organizations. Often, these agencies and organizations are serving the same children, youth, and families. By creating partnerships among these groups, systems of care are able to coordinate services and supports that meet the ever changing needs of each child, youth and family. Coordinated Services adn supports lead to improved outcomes for children, youth and families, and help prevent the duplication of services for authorized care among government agencies.
What Types of Services Are Coordinated Through Systems of Care?
Systems of care help parents and caregivers address the mental health needs of their children and youth while managing the demands of day-to-day living. Adequately meeting these needs requires multiple strategies and agencies. Some o fthe types of services that systems of care coordinate may include:
• Care coordination (case/care management)
• Child care
• Child, youth and family-serving agencies establish partnerships to coordinate services
and supports.
• Care management ensures that planned services and supports are delivered
and continue to help children, youth, and families move through the system as their
needs change.
• Systems of care include evidence-based treatments and interventions.
• All services and supports are selected and designed in ways that are responsive to
families' beliefs, traditions, values, cultures, and languages.
• Systems of care are accountable for evaluating the outcomes of services for
• children, youth, and families.
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National Data Support the Effectiveness of Systems of Care
National data collected for more than a decade confirm the experiences of children, youth, and caregivers: Systems of care work. Data from systems of care related to children, youth, and caregivers reflected the following:
Children and youth improved on clinical outcomes after 6 months.
• Emotional and behavioral problems were reduced or remained stable for 89% of children and
youth.
Children and youth with suicide-related histories improved after 6 months.
• Almost 91% of children and youth with a history of suicide attempts to suicidal ideation
improved or remained stable in their emotional and behavioral problems.
Children and youth with co-occuring disorders improved after 6 months.
• Emotional and behavioral problems were reduced or remained stable for 89% of children
and youth with co-occuring mental health and substance abuse diagnoses.
System of care communities adopted a strenght-based approach to planning services.
• 91% used child and youth strengths to plan services.
• 85% reported that children and youth helped plan services.
Families/caregivers were satisfied with the cultural competence of service providers.
• More than 75% of families reported that they were satisfied with their providers' respect
for their beliefs and values about mental health, understanding of their traditions, and ability
to find services that acknowledged the positive traditions of their cultures.
Resources
Child, Adolescent and Family Branch
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
www.systemsofcare.samhasa.gov
Tel: 240-276-1980
National Mental Health Information Center
Tel: 1-800-789.2647 (english/spanish)