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.
