Expanding Systems of Care: Improving the Lives of Children, Youth, and Families
This comprehensive report examines the transformative impact of systems of care on children’s mental health services since their introduction in the mid-1980s. Systems of care represent a coordinated network of community-based services and supports for children and youth with mental health challenges, built on core values including family-driven, youth-guided, and culturally competent care. The document presents extensive evidence from the Children’s Mental Health Initiative, which has served over 113,000 children across 173 communities in all 50 states. It also highlights successful system-level improvements, such as expanded home and community-based services, better care coordination, increased family and youth involvement in treatment planning, and more effective use of resources.