Background
In October 2004, a unit within Erie County Department of Mental Health was created (Family Voices Network of Erie County) to address the needs of children and youth (age 5-17) experiencing complex serious mental health challenges. Erie County implemented the “Wraparound Initiative” under Family Voices Network of Erie County. Family Voices Network is a collaboration of Departments of Social Services and Mental Health. We are a referral process for all children in the Erie County System of Care and one application is used to refer children to appropriate supports and services within the system and our community. Wraparound is the highest level of care offered in Erie County for children, youth and their families with mental health, behavioral health and social challenges.
Our Funding:
Family Voices Network of Erie County receives funding from various sources to support children with serious emotional disturbances (SED) or those experiencing emotional, behavioral, or social challenges in their everyday lives. Our total dollars allocated for 2007 is approximately $10M with distributions as follows:
- 22% from a Federal Grant through the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA);
- 40% from Non-Federal Sources (Erie County government and the New York State Offices of Mental Health and Children & Family Services and the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance);
- 19% from the reinvestment of savings resulting from the reduced utilization of institutional care for Erie County children and youth; and,
- 19% from the N Y State Office of Mental Health’s Children’s Home and Community Based Services Medicaid Waiver Program.
These Federal and State Offices support our initiative and how we’re making improvements to the system of care within Erie County; and how services are delivered to children, youth and families. We are creating a family driven, youth guided, community based and culturally sensitive method of service delivery.
Since our inception, we have served over 600 families in Erie County. We have helped:
- children improve attendance at school,
- provided support for parents to help with their children at home,
- kept children out of detention, residential treatment facilities and residential treatment centers, and
- taught children, youth and families how to understand the impact of mental health on their lives.
Care Coordination & Family Advocacy Support:
Additionally, we have seven care coordination agencies and one family advocacy agency within Erie County who are providing services to families who are involved in the Wraparound Process. These agencies have experience working with children and families who are experiencing mental health challenges.
Each agency works with referred families to identify their strength & needs, develop and implement a plan to address those needs.
- Families’ CAN! (advocacy support)
- Child & Family Services
- Gateway-Longview, Inc.
- Child Adolescent Treatment Services
- Hopevale, Inc.
- Joan A. Male Family Center
- Mid-Erie Counseling & Treatment Services
- New Directions Youth & Family Services
When a family needs a special support or service the care coordination agency will find it among the more than 40 contracted vendors. The vendor provide individualized services based on the needs of the family. Please visit our Agency Partners page on our website to see a list of service providers and to link to our partners websites.
Brief Overview of Wraparound:
The wraparound process provides individualized, family driven, youth guided, community based and culturally sensitive services that addresses the strength and needs of families. Wraparound works with children, youth and families to provide individualized care plans. Families and youths participate in all areas of planning and service delivery.
Parents know their children better than anyone else. Parents work with a Care Coordinator (who serves as a family facilitator) to develop a “Child and Family Team” (CFT) and plan of care that will help their family. A CFT is a family support system.
- Along with the family and care coordinator, the CFT may include relatives, friends, faith-based members, family advocates and other community support.
- Together, they will design one integrated cross-system plan of care to meet the individual needs of the whole family.
The vendors have contracted with Erie County Department of Mental Health to provide specialized services to our at-risk families. Currently, there are approximately 70 unique services offered to address the individual and unique needs of children, youth and families experiencing mental health among 50 vendors.
Link to view our "FVN Logic Model-Updated Mar2007"
Map of the System of Care Communities with SAMSHA:
Link to view: SOC Map