System of Care Values and Principles

The system of care model is an organizational philosophy and framework that involves collaboration across agencies, families, and youth for the purpose of improving services and access and expanding the array of coordinated community-based, culturally and linguistically competent services and supports for children and youth with a serious emotional disturbance and their families. The system of care philosophy is built upon these core values and guiding principles:

The core values of the system of care philosophy specify that the system of care:

  1. Should be child centered and family focused, with the needs of the child and family dictating the types and mix of services provided.
  2. Should be community based, with the locus of services as well as management and decision-making responsibility resting at the community level.
  3. Should be culturally competent, with agencies, programs, and services that are responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of the populations they serve.

Learn more about the system of care core values.

Also, learn about the system of care guiding principles.

Featured Publications

The National Directory of Family-Run and Youth-Guided Organizations for Children’s Mental Health

Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health (2008)

Lists family-run and youth-guided organizations and support groups throughout the United States, U.S. territories, and tribal nations that are working to support families who have children and adolescents with emotional/behavioral and/or mental health challenges and to improve mental health services and supports.

Transformation Work Group Report

SAMHSA, CMHS, CAFB, Council on Collaboration and Coordination, Transformation Work Group (2005)

Describes the compatibility of the system of care vision, values and principles, and general practices with those expressed by the President's New Freedom Commission.