Empower ME System of Care Grant
On August 31, 2020 the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) was awarded a federal System of Care grant to DHHS, which focuses on the significant need for mental health services in rural areas of Maine. This funding will continue to be used to support implementation of programs to improve quality and access to services statewide, targeting youth and young people through 21 years of age with severe emotional disturbance (SED) who are currently on the waitlist for HCT services.
OCFS is invested in ensuring Maine families have access to community-based services for children, youth, and young adults with mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs that are:
- coordinated across systems;
- individualized to a family’s unique needs, strengths, and culture; and
- empower families as the primary decision makers in the care of their children.
Through collaboration with youth and families to meet their goals through a network of community-based services and supports, together we can create system changes to support children and families in living safe, stable, and happy and healthy lives. The System of Care is based on a set of guiding principles designed to meet the needs of families who are involved with multiple service systems, including schools, behavioral health and health care providers, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems.
Partnership with Agencies
Through partnerships with providers and service agencies and the community, our intention is to build upon System of Care values and principles while empowering families to work together.
CBHS plans to continue to work together with youth, families, and providers across the state to gather feedback we can use to achieve the goals of the grant.
SOC Principle Webinars
At the heart of the creating a System of Care is a shared set of guiding principles that include family driven, individualized, strengths based, evidence informed, youth guided, culturally and linguistically competent, least restrictive environment, community based, accessible and collaborative. These principles are essential elements of any successful system of care. The SOC Principles are standards established by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Maine DHHS is aligned with these principals and is striving to incorporate them into our system.
1. Family Driven (pptx) 6. Culturally and Linguistically Competent(pptx)
2. Individualized(pptx) 7. Least Restrictive Environment(pptx)
3. Strengths Based(pptx) 8. Community Based(pptx)
4. Evidence Informed(pptx) 9. Accessible(pptx)
5. Youth Guided(pptx) 10. Collaborative(pptx)
National Outcome Measures (NOMs)
Please click on the link to view a brief instructional video for completing the National Outcome Measures (NOMs) tool. This is a training designed to support providers who are enrolling youth in the Empower ME System of Care grant. It is not a requirement of any other providers. NOMs Instructional Video