Children in foster care represent one of the most vulnerable
populations served by county social service, health and mental
health agencies. CIBHS recognizes the need to continue to improve
services to children and youth served in foster care. We have and
continue to develop projects that reach across populations that
include children and youth in foster care; however, several
projects focus or have focused specifically on this population.
Thank you for visiting the CIBHS website for information
regarding Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS). In December
2008, the Department of Mental Health (DMH) released Information
Notice (08-38) that guides TBS. Please utilize the link to the
DMH website for information.
CIBHS and the DMH are reviewing materials associated with TBS,
and will be posting them as appropriate.
The Cathie Wright Technical Assistance Center for
Children’s System of Care (Cathie Wright Center/CWTAC)
provides training, consultation, and technical assistance to
support county efforts to develop and maintain Children’s System
of Care. The center’s efforts focus on offering technical
assistance that enables counties to utilize core principles of
the California Children’s System of Care model including:
Collaboration of child & family serving agencies
Parents and families as full partners in the care of their
children of operation of service systems
Culturally competent services that meet the needs of diverse
ethnic populations served
Comprehensive community-based and individualized services
Evaluation and outcome measures as a means of maintaining
accountability and improving the quality of the system
The California Institute for Behavioral Health Solutions
established its Child and Family Services Center
as part of its commitment to supporting the state’s ongoing
efforts to improve mental health services for the children of
California, particularly those experiencing Serious Emotional
Disturbance and their families.The Center develops and
disseminates information, convenes key stakeholder groups to
identify and address priorities, informs policy discussion,
participates in research and provides training and technical
assistance to support innovation in local mental health
services.Child and Family Center priorities include:
Improve public policies that impact services for children and
youth, with mental health needs, who are served in the child
welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Promote the use of quality assurance processes, fidelity
monitoring, evaluation and outcome reporting as a key strategy to
improve services for children and their families.
Reduce disparities in access to and quality of mental health
services to diverse children and families.
Develop and provide training and technical assistance to
directly support local efforts to implement and sustain effective
practices.
In the spring of 1997, California State Department of Mental
Health dedicated funds to establish a technical assistance center
to support the expansion and continuous improvement of Children’s
System of Care throughout the state. The center was named in
honor of former Senator Cathie Wright, in
recognition of her efforts to expand mental health services to
children with serious emotional disabilities. The California
State Department of Mental Health has partnered with the CIBHS, a
non-profit public interest corporation, to operate the center.
