Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

NOVEMBER2002

Question: Is the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program required to keep children in the community instead of placing them outside their homes into residential treatment centers, juvenile justice facilities, foster care, and inpatient hospitalization settings? What can we do if our children continue to be placed outside of our homes?

Answer: The system of care framework was developed to keep children at home and in their communities. Services were intended to be community-based and thus available so that this could be accomplished. Like most of America's social reforms, we created the engine before we built the track.

If your community is having a difficult time keeping children in their community, it is highly recommended that technical assistance be requested to assist in the development of services and supports using resources available through federal funds. Your community should also request data from ORC-Macro regarding out-of-home placement rates of youth enrolled in your grant community. This data will help you validate and advocate for the change you seek.

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	NOVEMBER2002 Question: Is the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program required to keep children in the community instead of placing them outside their homes into residential treatment centers, juvenile justice facilities, foster care, and inpatient hospitalization settings? What can we do if our children continue to be placed outside of our homes? Answer: The system of care framework was developed to keep children at home and in their communities. Services were intended to be community-based and thus available so that this could be accomplished. Like most of America's social reforms, we created the engine before we built the track. If your community is having a difficult time keeping children in their community, it is highly recommended that technical assistance be requested to assist in the development of services and supports using resources available through federal funds. Your community should also request data from ORC-Macro regarding out-of-home placement rates of youth enrolled in your grant community. This data will help you validate and advocate for the change you seek.

Family Involvement and Advocacy Frequently Asked Questions