An Alameda County Initiative for an
Integrated Birth to Five System of Care

• Early Childhood Mental
Health Education
• Family Partner
Integration Strategies
• Impact of Family
Partners on Parents of
Young Children

Early Connections
Family-Driven Care
 Family members are the authority in making decisions about their children.
 Early Connections recognizes that:
 Choice: Families have a choice in who they partner with when they either seek services, or are mandated to receive services from mental health providers.
 Authority: Partnership exists when there is shared agreement between a provider and family member to work together in the interest of the child and they are equally yoked. Family-driven care means that family members are the ultimate decision makers for their child, even if providers don’t agree with their decisions.
 Provider & System Accountability: Providers and staff within child-serving agencies in the system of care honor the spirit of family-driven care, both explicitly and implicitly in their interactions with families at the service, governance and system level.

Mental Health Services Act of California
…“To define serious mental illness among children, adults and seniors as a condition deserving priority attention, including prevention and early intervention services and medical and supportive care.”

The healthy social and emotional development of a child from birth to 3 years
A growing field of research and practice devoted to the:
Promotion of healthy social and emotional development
Prevention of mental health problems
Treatment of the mental health problems of very young children in the context of their families

Early Childhood
• Young children
cannot be treated without caregiver’s presence
• Typically treated in the home
Older Children
• Children can be treated without caregiver’s presence
• Typically treated in office or school setting

Social Emotional Milestones
Smiles at people—2months
Plays with parents—6months
Nervous with strangers—12months
Copies others—2years

• Mentor families in need of services
• Member of child and family multi-disciplinary team
• Bridge cultural gaps
• Emotional support
Family Partners = mentorship and support vs. clinical interventions and treatment

• Family Referral by Clinician
• Parent Education on Child Development
• Ages & Stages Questionnaire Screening
• Parental Supportive Services
• Parent /Child Work with other children in the house hold

• Providers understanding the need for Family
Partners
• Defining Family Partners roles in Early Childhood
• Medi-Cal billing challenges

• Request technical assistance specifically for Early
Childhood Orgs. with Family Partners
• Continued defining of Family Partners’ roles
• Writing treatment plans to include Family Voice and
Family Partner services

Request technical assistance specifically for
Early Childhood Orgs. with Family Partners
Continued defining of
Family Partners’ roles
Writing treatment plans to include
Family Voice and Family Partner services

• Agency culture shift
• Expand Family Partner
Program to older children

• Family Partner billing vs. Clinician billing
• Advocacy for Family support services to meet medical necessity

• Tanya McCullom: tmccullom@acbhcs.org
• Deb Yates: dyates@acbhcs.org
• mheadley@acbhcs.org