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Missouri Families 4 Families (MOF4F) proposes to implement the “Missouri Families 2 Gether Program” (MF2GP) with funding ($285,000) from SAMHSA’s FY 2018 Statewide Family Network initiative. The purpose of the MF2GP is to provide education to, and identify resources for, families with children/youth with Serious Emotional Disorder (SED) in the State of Missouri. Missouri Families 4 Families proposes the following goals: 1) Increase mental health awareness among Missouri families and their children/youth with SED to reduce negative impacts on children/youth with untreated SED (i.e., school dropout and suicide rates) by improving and expanding MOF4F organizational infrastructure; 2) Increase family-driven mental health policies to reduce barriers associated with access to, and quality of, care by strengthening partnerships with local- and state-level policy makers; 3) Increase knowledge, skills, and abilities among families with children/youth with SED in their support roles to reduce familial stress by providing workshops and trainings; 4) Increase the family voice in the promotion of changes in the mental health system to reduce ineffective policies and processes by providing mentoring and leadership skills training for those who wish to give back to the community; 5) Increase involvement in MOF4F across the state to reduce social disconnectedness by connecting families and their children/youth with SED and organizational partners through social media, events, and activities; and, 6) Decrease risky behaviors among children/youth with SED to increase their chances of living healthy and productive lives by providing their family members with supports. The target population cross-cuts gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status; therefore, it is anticipated that the project will serve a population reflective of Missouri’s overall demographics: White (70%), Black (20%), Hispanic (5%), Asian (1%), Native American (1%), and Multi-Racial (3%). Missouri Families 4 Families proposes to serve a minimum of 288 families in Year 1, 365 families in Year 2, and 547 families in Year 3, for a total of at least 1,200 families.

The Statewide Family Network Project, Strengths of Diversity, at Parent Support Network of Rhode Island (PSN) will engage families, youth, policy makers, and system of care partners statewide with a special focus on culturally and linguistically diverse children and youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and their families in Rhode Island. PSN seeks to address behavioral health disparities and decrease the challenges of access, service use, and achieve positive outcomes among special populations living in poverty; racial and ethnic minorities; grandparents; veterans and military families; and parents who have mental illness or substance use disorders. The SFN Project Will achieve three goals by implementing clear objectives and strategies: Goal 1: Organize and train a committed team of 25 diverse family, youth, and consumer leaders representing children and youth SED and special populations to participate on state and local planning and policy boards and healthcare reform activities to increase children and youth access to home and community based behavioral services and supports and address social determinants impacting children's mental health. (25 annually and 50 unduplicated by the end of year 3). This will include starting our strengths of diversity advisory board, Youth MOVE RI Chapter, Grandparent Support Group, and holding a Children's Behavioral Health Family and Consumer Leadership Policy Academy. Goal 2: Expand workforce development training and technical assistance opportunities to increase the skills and knowledge of 100 mental health and related workforce, including family and young adult peer support providers annually (200 unduplicated by the end of year 3) and to increase by 25% the children and youth with SED and their families served by PSN each year. Trainings will include Children's Behavioral Health Peer Support Provider training, National Standards for Culturally and Linguistic Appropriate Services (CLAS), Health Equity, and working with Military Families. Goal 3: Have 50 physicians representing state organizations of physicians, primary healthcare providers, and schools participate in trainings to learn new strategies for the promotion of mental health and strategies for prevention, screening, and early identification. (100 updated by the end of year 3).

The DadsMOVE’s Washington State Family Network Expansion Project will increase and expand the organizational capacity of DadsMOVE to be a statewide intermediary organization that will educate, and empower parents and caregivers, and strengthens family-centered organizations, focusing efforts on the most rural and underserved regions of Washington State. This work will help to build a robust System of Care that supports children’s mental health. Over the next three years (May 2016 – April 2019), DadsMOVE will provide support, training and technical assistance to support parents and catalyze leadership development and capacity of local family organizations. Through trainings and collaborative partnerships, we will provide services to more than 3,000 parents, caregivers, and agency personnel during the grant period. This work is being carried out in three of the 10 most rural, and underserved Behavioral Health Organization regions of Washington State. This catchment area is home to families who are largely from poor, rural, Latino, Native American, and/or Veterans populations. Goal 1: Increase the capacity and business management skills of the organization. Objective 1.1: Expand staffing capacity to three full time equivalents. Objective 1.2: Increase the diversity of our leadership and staff. Objective 1.3: Provide train-the-trainer, workforce development trainings. Goal 2: Provide education to parents and professionals to address children’s mental health and co-occurring substance abuse issues in partnership with local family organizations. Objective 2.1: Provide in person parent trainings. Objective 2.2: Provide parenting skills training. Objective 2.3: Train local parents/caregivers to lead support groups. Objective 2.4: Train local trainers to provide educational support to parents and caregivers. Objective 2.5: Provide family events in partnership with local family organizations. Objective 2.6: Provide parent retreat weekends. Goal 3: Provide information through media and via local family organizations. Objective 3.1: Expand content to include Live webinars and online trainings. Objective 3.2: Increase database to expand dissemination Objective 3.3: Create, maintain, and support a 1-800 number and website Goal 4: Attend local, state, or national meetings and conferences Objective 4.1: Provide information about children’s mental health issues. Objective 4.2: Provide feedback about services and system planning.

Families Together in New York State’s (FTNYS) project, “Statewide Family Network for New York State,” is focused on better responding to the needs of children, youth and young adults with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and their families, particularly those in low-income and rural areas. The project has the following goals: (1) Strengthen network organizational leadership and management skills; (2) Foster leadership skills among families of children and youth with SED; (3) Work effectively with policy makers and service providers that support the needs of children and youth with SED; (4) Promote peer support and social inclusion of families with children and youth with SED; and (5) Provide information about children and youth with SED to the public via electronic newsletters and through relationships with local family organizations. These goals will be accomplished through a variety of strategies including: Conducting online, formal and informal trainings as well as technical assistance calls to assist Local Family Support Organizations; Conducting an Annual Statewide Conference with speakers, workshops, and conference tracks focused on youth, leadership and workforce development; Supporting Regional Parent Advisors; Advocacy courses and trainings for youth and families; Communicating and partnering with numerous stakeholder agencies and organizations; Providing information and educating New York State policy makers, other government entities, Service Providers and other System Partners; Attending and participating in local, regional and national meetings and conferences; Increasing the number of trained and credentialed Family Peer Advocates; Hosting family peer focus groups; Maintaining a toll-free Information and Referral line; And developing and disseminating educational information about children and youth with SED through e-newsletters, exhibitions and an on-line Service Directory. The number of people who will be served annually by this project will be over 15,000. Success of the project will be measured through: (1) Changes in local family organization’s and family’s knowledge/attitudes/beliefs related to prevention and/or mental health promotion; (2) Number of organizations that demonstrate improved readiness to change systems to implement mental health-related practices; (3) Number of Credentialed Family Peer Advocates; (4) Number of family members involved in health-related planning and advocacy activities; (5) Number of individuals exposed to mental health awareness messages; (6) Number of individuals contacted and number of contacts made through program outreach efforts; (7) Number of individuals referred to mental health or related services.

Allies with Families (Allies) Community Services Programs will build on and enhance statewide programs that address the needs of children and youth with SED; by providing workshops in person and on-line; building a leadership academy; providing one-on-one support for families who have children with SED; and, addressing the unique needs of children with a dual diagnosis of mental health and intellectual disability (MH/IDD) and their families. Allies mission is "To empower individuals and families by providing peer and community supports as well as facilitating Wraparound, advocacy and education." Allies believes that children/youth with SED and their families should have voice, access, and ownership of their own services and treatment, as well as the policies that drive the treatment. This can be accomplished by supporting families to utilize local community supports needed for them to live safely at home and in their community; and training to participate on boards and committees that drive policy. Allies also provides a tiered certification program for family peer support. Allies will: 1. enhance and provide quarterly community education workshops for parents and providers to include the development of a strength-based skill set, expanded knowledge of the impact of children's mental illness, and strategies to promote health and well-being; and make these workshops available on-line; 2. provide sibling workshops quarterly in urban and rural areas of the state; 3. provide quarterly a ""Voices of Change"" leadership workshop to help support youth and families to attend local and state meetings and provide feedback about mental health issues affecting their children and policies in service and system planning that directly affects their families; 4. provide training, coaching and mentoring for Family Peer Support partners statewide that includes a certification process; and, 5. provide statewide one-on-one peer support to families who have children and youth with a dual diagnosis of MH/IDD and their families. ""When someone with developmental disability presents with behavioral difficulties it can be challenging to determine the underlying cause of such difficulties."" (Tang, Betty et al, ""The other dual diagnosis; Developmental disability and mental health disorders.) A family peer support partner will work directly with families who have children with MH/IDD to help find community based resources, information and critical support, but most importantly, to address the barriers they experience in getting appropriate treatment. This would include barriers in services and policy. Allies will continue to provide information and support to families statewide through the utilization of social media newsletters, community trainings, one-on-one support, and the Allies Policy Information Network. The anticipated number of people to be served annually is 1,575 and throughout the lifetime of the project is expected to serve 4,725 unduplicated.

Tennessee Voices for Children Statewide Rural Family Network will respond to children, youth, and young adults with SED and their families in NE TN Appalachian area and develop a model for replication in other rural areas by increasing the capacity to implement, expand, and improve effective family-driven mental health services with respect to their culture, traditions, and beliefs. Populations include children and youth and their families, birth through 26 with severe emotional disturbance within the North Eastern Tennessee (NE TN) Appalachian Mountain area with an emerging model that will be applied to rural areas statewide. Goals/Objectives: Develop a network of family and organizational leaders with management capacity that reflects the culture, traditions, and beliefs of NE TN and can be replicated in other rural areas: By Sept 2019 there will be a 100% increase in family leaders; by May 2020 TVC will have training materials reviewed and vetted by family leaders and representatives; by Oct 2020 NE TN will have 3 state trained/certified Family Support Specialists in each county; by the end of Oct 2020 there will be a database of 12 family storytellers. Increase family and organization partnerships and collaboration that will result in responsive support to the needs of children and youth with SED and ensure their participation and input into state and local mental health services planning and policy development: By the end of Year 1, 5 state and 10 local planning and policy development groups will have NE TN family leader involvement; by the end of Sept 2019 at least 25 families and youth will be trained on how to advocate and partner for systems change; by the end of the 2020 school year 75% of the child serving programs and agencies will be trained on how to partner, collaborate, and utilize families of children and youth with SED; by the end of Oct 2019, the project will host an annual Regional Mental Health Conference to a minimum of 100 families and professionals; by Sept 2021, all material developed will be shared with100% of the programs serving children, youth, and families living in rural areas for replication. Reduce stigma, bias, and superstition of mental illness and associated services that interfere with the utilization of networks of services and supports to families and their children: By Jan 2020 100% of the child serving programs surveyed to identify extent of bullying; by March 2020 a Town Hall Meeting will be held in each County to gather information on the incidence and impact of bullying; by Sept 2020 15 parents will be trained to assist and support other families who encounter bullying or stigma. Increase family capacity to access mental health services and utilize supports in their community while informed decisions on behalf of their children and youth within rural areas of TN: 100% of the counties will have a local contact for information and referral no later than Oct 2020; by Oct 2020 each county will have a 1 face to face and 1 web-based class on system navigation and local resources; five resources will guide families as they navigate the system, advocate for their needs, and understand the regional system. 2000 to be served annually and 6000 throughout the lifetime of the project.

Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL) will strengthen the voice and participation of families whose children, youth and young adults have significant mental health needs. The Families as Catalysts for Change project will have a specific outreach to families of youth and young adults transitioning to adulthood, a group that has been underserved. PPAL will increase its capacity to provide information, skill-building, support and opportunities for involvement for families of this age group. PPAL will work on the following goals: • Strengthen the knowledge and skills of the families of youth and young adults transitioning to adulthood • Gather family-experience and youth-experience information on transition in order to improve that experience • Increase the number of family leaders who can articulate to policy makers the gaps and successes of parent involvement during transition PPAL will use a variety of strategies in order achieve these goals. They will include 1) creating a set of workshops for families and through delivering this training, identifying and recruiting family leaders, 2) design, implement and analyze dual surveys of families and youth around their needs and perspectives during the teen and young adult years and 3) use the survey information as well as feedback gathered during the workshops to develop a set of materials highlighting new guidelines for involving families, including families of color, during the teen and young adult years. Other opportunities for learning and networking will include yearly summits with a focus on a different population of youth, young adults and their families, including LGBTQ youth and youth of color. Through education, showcasing parent and youth experience and nurturing parent leaders, families become the catalysts for change.

Founded in 1990, Families as Allies is the only statewide organization run by and for families of children with behavioral health challenges in Mississippi. This project, “Partnering in Your Child’s Care”, builds on and expands our grassroots family network. It also facilitates improved policies driven by families and increases awareness about children’s mental health, goals that are critical given Mississippi’s poverty rate, systemic racial disparity and lack of access to resources. Specifically, this project will engage families from across the state in parent-led workshops about the systems that most affect children with behavioral health challenges: education, mental health and Medicaid. Families will learn how to navigate the different systems, what they should expect and what their rights are. Fifty parents will be trained the first year and 100 parents in years two and three for a total of 150 parents over the course of the project. In addition to helping families advocate for their own children, the training in this project will prepare at least ten parents each year (thirty total) to serve on local or state policy committees, thus influencing care in the state at a more systemic level and engendering changes that benefit children both in and beyond the project. We also hope this will strengthen Families as Allies in its partnerships with each of the relevant state systems. Additional training will target mental health providers and parent peer support specialists. At least twenty mental health providers each year will learn the benefits of partnering with families and using a family-driven approach, leading to changes in practice that should be sustained far beyond the life of the project. Parent peer support specialists will be offered newly-developed supportive coaching to help them help other families deal with school issues, the most common and challenging barrier families face. All of these activities will be planned and implemented in partnership with other disability-related statewide family organizations, local grassroots family groups and any individual parents who are interested. Not only will this approach enhance Families as Allies’ already strong working relationships with these groups, but it will also allow these organizations to benefit from the initiative’s training and information. Data gathered from the families who participate will be used to inform and improve Families as Allies’ work in the state and also identify relevant policy issues and needed changes in child-serving systems. We will build on Families as Allies’ history of issuing policy updates and also engage more families in work with policy makers and state leaders. The project’s activities and findings will be shared in our monthly electronic newsletter and on various social media platforms so that decision makers and the general public will gain understanding of how family-driven care results in better outcomes for children and a more effective service system. We expect to increase the circulation of our newsletter by 500 readers each year and 1500 over the course of the project.

The PA-Family Alliance for Children’s Services (PA-FACS) will expand and enhance family voice in the children’s behavioral health and related systems by creating a statewide alliance among family organizations and family leaders. PA-FACS will connect families, family organizations, service providers and stakeholders to increase knowledge of families’ needs and improve skills and policies that will support families and improve the lives of children and youth. Allegheny Family Network (AFN) is the applicant on behalf of several family organizations to establish a statewide infrastructure that improves the lives of families raising children and youth with mental health issues, many with complex needs and involvement in multiple systems. The alliance, PA-FACS, will enhance the skills of existing family organizations with professional development, support emerging organizations with technical assistance, support families with leadership training and networking opportunities, support the state and county stakeholders with confident and competent family partners that can help plan and develop policies, and enhance the state and counties by bringing all the stakeholders together annually to learn together, celebrate successes, and establish new issues to address. The goals of PA-FACS are: (1) Create a coordinated family voice that raises awareness and addresses the needs of children and youth with social and emotional disturbance (SED) by creating PA-FACS. (2) Annually, increase the number of certified Parent Peer Specialists through a national curriculum, training and coaching model designed to improve family outcomes. (3) Increase collaborations among all stakeholders by communicating with and convening families, providers and system partners including an annual event. (4) Increase family members’ opportunities to use appropriate resources, develop skills in navigating systems and leadership in order to gain positive outcomes for their children. During this grant, 10 organizations will receive technical assistance; 4000 families will receive communication, information and referral; 400 families, providers and system partners will be trained, and 100 Parent Peer Specialists will be credentialed.

The Mountain State Parents Children and Adolescent Network (MSP-CAN) has developed a Statewide Family Network project to ensure self-sufficient, empowered networks that will effectively participate in family-centered mental health services planning and better respond to the needs of West Virginia children and you with SED and their families. The overall goal of MSP-CAN's Statewide Family Network Program is to better respond to the needs of west Virginia children and youth with SED and their families by providing information, referral and support and to facilitate greater participation of families in state and local mental health services planning and policy development. This ambitious yet attainable goal will be met by achieving the following objectives: 1. Provide workshops addressing children and youth with SED in partnership with local family organizations; 2. Support the development of parent/family support providers, including training and certification; 3. Attend and participate in local and state meetings and conferences at least twice a month in order to provide information about mental health issues affecting children and youth with SED and to provide input and feedback about service and system planning; and 4. Provide information about children and youth with SED to the public through newsletters and cultivation of existing and expanded relationships with local family organizations.