System of Care Values – Examples

System of Care Values in action. 

Take a look at some examples of how System of Care Values are put into practice.

Youth Guided Examples

 
System Level – For example, SWAT (Spreading Wellness Around Town) youth sit on the Community Collaborative and participate in a work team that includes work being done on the National Evaluation. The youth give input on what data and analysis the youth want to see and they give advice on how the data should be presented so youth can better understand the data.
 
Organizational Level – For example, (this could be at a program or service level or at an agency) an agency might turn an office space into a (supervised) youth lounge where they could hang out and talk with peers (youth like them) or with the adult who is supervising the lounge. Whatever is said in the lounge, stays in the lounge. Any exception to this “rule” would be made with the youth’s input to assure feedback (good and bad) is handled in a respectful and safe manner.
 
Another example, might mean agencies, as a manner of practice, always include a youth at internal meetings, such as staff meetings, board of director meetings, program meetings, personnel evaluations (360 feedback.) Again, in this example, the youth would be prepared prior to any of these meetings so they understand the purpose of the meeting and the value of their role during the decision making process or group discussion.
 

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Family Driven Examples

System Level – Families are included with equity on committees, task forces, etc, that develop the policy that affects families and youth. 
 
For example, Monroe County ACCESS formed the Family Roundtable which is facilitated through Better Days Ahead (BDA) which is a group where family members come together to learn more about the children’s mental health system, other child-serving systems, give input and feedback into System of Care initiatives and activities, like the conference held in 2009 for Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. A family member was the co-chair of the conference event committee.
 
Organization Level – Family members are represented on boards of directors, advisory boards, and have avenues available to give their input on the work of the organization.
 
For example, a local agency that serves youth with mental health challenges is interested in holding a family roundtable for their family members. Monroe County ACCESS is helping them facilitate the initial meeting so the families’ experience is similar to the System of Care family roundtable and is in keeping with the System of Care Values.
 
Individual Practice Level – Family members are fully engaged in developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating plans for their youth and family.
 
For example, family members were contracted by Children’s Institute to be the interviewers who conduct the longitudinal surveys as part of the System of Care’s national evaluation. Monroe County ACCESS and Children’s Institute recognized that family members, with the right training and support, have the potential to be more effective interviewers than “professional” interviewers.
 

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Trauma Informed Examples

 
System Level – For example, the service relationship is about children’s and family’s voices needing to be drawn out in empathic relationships in a way that recognizes and is sensitive to the ways which trauma can cause an individual to be “silent” (the silence might be voluntary or the person could be unaware of the impact the trauma is having on their behavior or thinking.)
 
Organization Level – For example, an organization would be proactive in supporting the integration of knowledge about trauma and violence into all aspects of its functioning (formal policy, mission statement, practice change, training/coaching, etc…)
 
Individual Practice Level – For example, the planning and provision of services is understood from the perspective that a child and family’s trust is developed over time and their safety must be guaranteed. Being trauma informed means that a provider is aware and sensitized to the youth and family’s experience and would ask themselves, “How can services and settings be modified?”
 

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Culturally & Linguistically Competent Examples

System Level – Having policies that clearly define the expectation that culturally and linguistically competent services will be delivered to all who receive services in the mental health system.   

For example, funding contracts with area mental health system providers requires that there are accommodations made to ensure effective and timely access to language interpreter services for individuals with limited English proficiency.

Organization Level –  Practices that are developed and supported to incorporate cultural sensitivity, respect, and responsiveness across the organization.

For example, an agency creates a CLC Committee comprised of their leadership, staff from all levels, community members, and individuals that have received services, with the responsibility to advise the agency in the planning, reviewing, assessing and to make recommendations regarding the creation and delivery of culturally competent services offered to the diverse population of the organization’s consumers.

Individual Practice Level – Having a personal philosophy to “seek first to understand, and then to be understood”. (Steven R. Covey).  

For example, when entering into a person’s life with the intent to help, do not go in to that experience with the answer already defined, or the attitude that you know best.  The first order of business is to truly listen, learn and respect the individual in front of you.  Next, is to develop strategies together with that person – they have a right to define for you their goals, beliefs, motivations and values and you have an opportunity to become enriched by their sharing. 

Additional examples of a CLC system/organization/individual:

  • Understands that the people that you interact with could be from very different backgrounds and therefore, could make different decisions based on their culture
  • Works to expand their knowledge of the people they interact with, assist and serve
  • Seeks to create an environment that effectively conveys information in a manner that is easily understood by diverse audiences (i.e. individuals with limited English proficiency and limited reading skills)
  • Integrates CLC into all areas – behavior/practices, policies, organizational structures, staffing, interventions, financing, and evaluation of results
  • Actively chooses a course of action(s) that minimize cross-cultural barriers
  • Recognizes that becoming culturally and linguistically competent is a developmental process and is born of a commitment to provide quality services to all and a willingness to take risks       
 

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