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The Utah Family Coalition |  |
Family Resource Facilitator
The role of a Family Resource Facilitator is to assist and support children withe complex needs and their families in meeting unique needs and fostering strengths while keeping in tmind the System of Care Value. A System of Care is defined as "How a Community Takes Care of Its Own".
What is a System of Care?
The term "System of Care" was first used in a book published in 1986: A System of Care for Children and Youth with Severe Disturbances written by Stroul and Friedman. Many of you have heard the term used around the State. It is used to describe an interwoven netting developed by family to provide services and supports for their child and family in partnership one with another. The word "system" may have a clinical, cold, agency sound to it in our world, but when we put it into personal experience, it become meaningful. The definition of System of Care is based on a set valuves and principles which ALWAYS place the Child and Family at the Heart of any and all services. No matter how you look at it, the Child and Family are the hub of the wheel.
The characteristics of the System of Care are summarized below:
| Child Centered |
| Family Driven |
| Culturally Competent |
| Individualized |
| Strength-Based |
| Community Based |
| Collaborative |
| Inter-agency |
| Cost Responsible |
Core Values of a System of Care
1. The system of care should be child centered and family focused, with the needs of the child and family dictating the types and mix of services provided.
2. The system of care should be community based, with the locus of services as well as management and decision-making responsibility resting at the community level.
3. The system of care should be culturally competent, with agencies, programs, and services that are responsive to the cultural, racial, and ethnic differences of the populations they serve.
A Family Resource Facilitator is ...
| A role model |
| A motivator |
| A communicator |
| An advisor |
| A guide |
| A coach |
| A resource |
| A support |
A Family Resource Facilitator Emphasizes...
Establishing rapport
Tapping into the mentors prior experiences
Building trust and exchanging ideas
Maintaining confidentiality
Conveying empathy
Listening carefully
Focusing on one or two challenges at a time
Exemplifying flexibility
Reinforcing efforts
Family Resource Facilitators...
...will receive specific training as to the philosophy, purpose, goals, of a value based, system of care approach, utilzing family mentors to support, guide and educate new families.
...are expected to focus and guide parents through the complicated system they face when supporting a child with complex needs.
...are chosen for their experience navigating the system with their own child and their ability to work with and support children and families.
...are collaborative problem solvers who guide, make suggestions, and support the families.
The Utah Family Coalition
The Utah Family Coalition currently consists of three family organization that focus on children's mental health issues. They are :
*Allies with Families*
*New Frontiers for Families*
*Nami-Utah (National Alliance on Mental Illness)*
Vision:
"To assist families and youth to have access to mental health services, and to develop a meaningful, educated and authentic voice for policy and advocacy"
Mission:
"To bring families and youth together to create and protect the family and youth voice in transforming the child and adolescent mental health and substance abuse system."
This project is being funded by:
*The Children's Center
*Utah State Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health
*Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration