Orange County’s System of Care has provided quality services to youth and young adults with complex mental health needs, and their families, for many years. The success of our cross-system partnerships, and the rich history of service provision, was the foundation for our county to receive a federal Child Mental Health Initiative “System of Care” grant in 2008. Since then, federal funding has been a catalyst within our community, providing extra motivation for us to transform our current system into the reality of our vision. No matter our past success, families and youth tell us that there are still things that we can do differently to make our community a better place for youth and young adults managing serious mental health challenges, and their families. We agree, and are working together so that the improvements we make to our System of Care in the next few years will last well beyond the federal grant awarded to us.

Who We Are

System of Care is an equal partnership that brings together youth and young adults, their families, and the individuals who care about them, with services and supports provided by our community partners. These include mental health services, social services, the education system, family support, recreational services, the faith-based community, vocational services, health services, the juvenile justice system, and substance abuse services. The agencies in Orange County that are directly involved include Orange County Departments of Mental Health, Probation and Social Services, the Youth Bureau, Orange County Family Court, and non-profit agencies that include Family Empowerment Council, Inc., the Mental Health Association of Orange County Inc., Rehabilitation Support Services, Inc., United Way of Orange County, and Access: Supports for Living.

Who We Serve

Orange County System of Care Wraparound Services provide individualized family support and care coordination to children, youth and young adults who have serious mental health needs, and require intervention from two or more systems in order to be successful in the community. For more information on eligibility click here.

What’s Special About a System of Care?

Families have asked for a simpler way to access services. Orange County System of Care has developed a single, cross-system point of access, staffed by the county’s child-serving agencies, including probation, mental health, social services, and family support. Information, linkage and referral, and wraparound services, are accessed through this single point of access.

In Orange County’s System of Care, youth and families work together with service providers to plan, implement, and evaluate policies and programs developed with federal funding. Federal funding not only mandates family and youth participation, but encourages us to strive to 51% representation. Youth, families and providers are equal partners in developing and making improvements to the System of Care.

For youth and young adults receiving wraparound services, services are delivered in the least restrictive, most natural environment that is appropriate, based on individual needs. Services and supports are coordinated, remain flexible to adjust to a family’s changing needs, and are designed in ways that are responsive to the family’s beliefs, traditions, values, culture, and language.

We have a partnership with the University at Albany that helps us evaluate how we are doing. The evaluation team evaluates the outcomes of the services we are providing by talking to the youth and families that are involved. We use the feedback to identify what is and isn’t working. Learn more about Evaluation by clicking here.

Our Vision

A safe community of trust, hope and respect, where everyone partners together to support youth and young adults who experience significant emotional and behavioral challenges, and their families. In our System of Care services are easy to access, available as long as needed, and meet the unique needs of each individual and family.

Our Mission

Building partnerships between youth, families and agencies, and connecting services and supports, in order to address individual needs and provide appropriate care.

Our Goals

• Everyone works together to plan for one child and family at a time.
• Families, youth, and professionals work together as equal partners.
• Help is available and accessible when and where families and youth need it.
• All communities and cultures have access to services, and a voice, in our System of Care.
• Services and supports are provided in an effective continuum of care.
• Youth with challenges, and their families, are valued members of our community.
• Community transformation lasts after the grant funding ends.

System of Care Core Values

Family-driven

Youth-guided

Culturally and Linguistically Competent,

Community-based,

Mutual Respect

Lasting Change

A Note from System of Care Across the Country:

Data shows that children and young adults spend less time in inpatient care, experience fewer arrests, make improvements in their overall mental health and do better in school than before enrollment. In addition, data suggests that Systems of Care save taxpayers money when compared to traditional mental health service delivery systems.

Systems of Care help:

Families have a voice in the care of their child/young adult.

Children and Young Adults stay safe, stay in school and stay out of trouble.

Organizations use resources efficiently to provide better quality care to more children and young adults.