Each county shall have in place, with qualified mental health personnel, all of the following within three years of funding by the state:
(a) A comprehensive, interagency system of care that serves the target population as defined in Section 5856.
(b) A method to screen and identify children in the target population. County mental health staff shall consult with the representatives from special education, social services, and juvenile justice agencies, the mental health advisory board, family advocacy groups, and others as necessary to help identify all of the persons in the target populations, including persons from ethnic minority cultures which may require outreach for identification.
(c) A defined mental health case management system designed to facilitate the outcome goals for children in the target population.
(d) A defined range of mental health services and program standards that involve interagency collaboration and ensure appropriate service delivery in the least restrictive environment with community-based alternatives to out-of-home placement.
(e) A defined mechanism to ensure that services are culturally competent.
(f) A defined mechanism to ensure that services are child-centered and family-focused, with parent participation in planning and delivery of services.
(g) A method to show measurable improvement in individual and family functional status for children enrolled in the system of care.
(h) A method to measure and report cost avoidance and client outcomes for the target population which includes, but is not limited to, state hospital utilization, group home utilization, nonpublic school residential placement, school attendance and performance, and recidivism in the juvenile justice system.
(i) A plan to ensure that system of care services are planned to complement and coordinate with services provided under the federal Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment services (Section 1396d(a)(4)(B) of Title 42 of the United States Code), including foster children served under Section 5867.5, where those services are medically necessary but children do not meet the requirements of Section 5600.3.
(j) A plan to ensure that system of care services are planned to complement and coordinate with services provided to CalWORKs (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200.5) of Part 3 of Division 9) recipients whose families receive mental health treatment services.
(k) A defined partnership between the children’s system of care program and family members of children who have been or are currently being served in the county mental health system. This partnership shall include family member involvement in ongoing discussions and decisions regarding policy development, program administration, service development, and service delivery.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 520, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2001.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018