engaging, inspiring and empowering:

Engaging, Inspiring and Empowering: An Overview of Bucks Countys Transition Age Youth and Young Adult Initiatives Barbara Miller, MA, Childrens Services Director, Bucks County Dept. of MH/DPLisa Alessandroni, MA, NCC, LPC, Assistant Director, TIP.

Child & Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) Principles

Child-centeredFamily-focusedCommunity-basedMulti-systemCulturally-competentLeast-restrictive/least-intrusive

Our roles: The Interagency Team Planning Process and CASSPThe team works to develop comprehensive recommendations and activities to support successful outcomes and well-being for the child and family (home, school and community).Provides an opportunity to brainstorm and bring people together across systems, agencies and natural supports.Looks at the individuals strengths, needs, hopes and opportunities for positive change.CASSP seeks to understand how the childrens behavioral health system works in our County and can serve as a resource to family members, providers and others who need assistance with services. This includes providing information on resources and technical assistance.

Learning ObjectivesOutline the need for specialized supports and resources for Transition Age Youth

Describe the advantages of a multi-faceted approach to working with Transition Age Youth that includes:Person-Centered planningIndividualized & encompassing services and supportCoordination of services and supportEnsuring a safety-net of supportEnhancing competenciesInvolvement of young people, parents, and other community partners at the practice, program, and community levels

Highlight key accomplishments and outcomes from Bucks Countys TAY/YA initiatives in 2013

Review lessons learned from transition aged youth leaders and system partners

Rusty Clarke (2007) shared with The National Center on Youth TransitionThe Need for Supports and Resources for Transition Age Youth: National-Level Studies, Legislation, and TrendsComparison of Transition Domains Between the General Population and People with Emotional Disturbance

Rusty Clarke (2007) shared with The National Center on Youth Transition

The Need for Supports and Resources for Transition Age Youth: Notable System BarriersSeparate funding streams and criteria for adolescent and adult servicesLack of coordination, planning, and understanding between the adolescent and adult serving systemsLack of expertise and focus on addressing the critical developmental needs of transition age youth in both the child and adult serving systemsLack of quality trauma treatmentLack of co-occurring mental health and substance abuse servicesLack of affordable housing

The Need for Supports and Resources for Transition Age Youth: Local Needs and TrendsBucks County Community Needs Assessment FindingsThe power of peer support/social network/grouping young adults The strength that youth and young adults have found through personal connections (with staff/peers) The need for supportive and encouraging people in their life The need for transition ageyouth to have normal teenage experiences and test things out in a safe environment The importance of meeting youth and young adults where they are The desire to combat stigma surrounding mental illness The need for greater system flexibility The desire for increased mentoring/leadership development opportunities Practical skills training to help better manage ones life/education and to get aheadYoung people expect to be responsible citizens and to be held accountable but they also want their personal rights to be respected and safeguarded

The Transition to Independence Process (TIP) ModelSystem best practice for working with Transition Age YouthDeveloped by Hewitt B. Rusty Clark, Ph.D., BCBA University of South FloridaKey elements:Case Study Protocol for Continuing System Improvement - used to assist stakeholders in establishing a profile of the systems areas of strength and weaknesses. TIP System Guidelines - built on the underlying transition values that are critical for clinical programming or support provision

Engage young people through relationship development, person-centered planning, and a focus on their futures.

Tailor services and supports to be accessible, coordinated, appealing, non-stigmatizing, and developmentally appropriate - building on strengths to enable the young people to pursue their goals across relevant transition domains.

Acknowledge and develop personal choice and social responsibility with young people.

National Network on Youth Transitionhttp://nnyt.fmhi.usf.eduTIP System Guidelines

Ensure a safety-net of support by involving a young persons parents, family members, and other informal and formal key players.

Enhance young persons competencies to assist them in achieving greater self-sufficiency and confidence.

Involve young people, parents, and other community partners in the TIP system at the practice, program, and community levels.

National Network on Youth Transitionhttp://nnyt.fmhi.usf.eduTIP System Guidelines

Magellan Health Services, Inc. | *TIP System FocusNational Network on Youth Transitionhttp://nnyt.fmhi.usf.edu

Utilizes a set of tools and a way of supporting an individual to take charge of his/her life by developing a planThis type of planning is beneficial for individuals facing transition and contemplating their futureMeetings typically occur in a casual atmosphere and are scheduled based on personal preferencesThrough a defined process, a person has the opportunity to identify their personal interests, capacities and preferences in all domains ( e.g., employment, friends, housing and school)Participants are invited by the person to help craft a flexible, creative working planIntent is develop a circle of support and create natural relationships

TIP Values in Action: Person-Centered Planning

Person-Centered Planning OutcomesTAY-YA Work Group participated in multi-year training initiative with Networks for Training and Development, Inc. from 2007-2009Developed the Personal Empowerment and Leadership for Youth Train the Trainer series and 9 individuals were successfully trainedPerson-Centered Planning was offered to individuals in various Residential Services and through Peer to Peer EngagementThe Bucks County LIFE Program has offered Person-Centered Planning to TAY Family and Youth Connections has rolled out a Person-Centered Planning Pilot, called The HAND- it provides youth with Team delivered, peer supported planning TAY-YA Work Group members have participated in a 6 session Train the Trainer series through Networks from 2/12-5/12- seeking to share this

TIP Contact and Referral InformationCurrently accepting referrals for 16-26 year olds

Contact Lisa Alessandroni

1-888-442-1590 x 32

lalessandroni@accessServices.org

If you have any questions regarding NNYT or the TIP model, please contact: http://nnyt.fmhi.usf.edu/

Hewitt B. Rusty Clark, Ph.D., BCBA, clark@fmhi.usf.eduNicole Deschnes, RN, M.Ed., deschenes@fmhi.usf.eduNew Transition HandbookTransition of Youth and Young Adults with Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties: An Evidence-Supported Handbookby Hewitt "Rusty" Clark, Ph.D., and Deanne K. Unruh, Ph.D.

TIP Values in Action:2013 Bucks County TAY/YA Initiatives!MY LIFE

Youth Connections

Networking, Resource Sharing and Information Exchange

Person-Centered Planning

Peer Support for TAY/YA

Youth Involvement in Systems Transformation

Development of Shared Living-Shared Housing for TAY-YA

Implemented TIP in the County through ACCESS Services in January, 2013. Hired 3 FT TIP Facilitators and a FT Certified Peer Support Specialist (currently accepting referrals ages 16-26).

MY LIFE is made up of youth between the ages of 13 and 23, who have experience with mental health, substance abuse and/or foster care related issues. I see these people helping and it makes me think I could help too.~ Youth

The Issues MY LIFE is AddressingThere is a lack of youth voice to develop and inform systems, programs, and services for youth and young adultsYouth lack opportunities to develop leadership skills, social skills, and positive social supportsThere is stigma for youth who have experience with mental health, substance abuse, and/or foster care issues Youth are needed to share their experiences to help reduce the stigma and provide inspiration to youth, family members, professionals, and stakeholdersMy Fest PA 2011September 17, 2011

MY LIFE MeetingsThe meetings are designed to provide an opportunity for the youth to come together to create a community of youth support, plan activities and initiatives, practice social skills, learn about a variety of topics from presenters, and provide informal peer-to-peer mentoring. Youth from residential facilities regularly attend MY LIFE meetings providing opportunities to help smooth their transition back into the community when the are released from treatment. Meetings occur on the 2nd Thursday of every month at Abington Hospital, Warminster Campus open to all!We started MY LIFE 2! For families and caregivers at the same time, recognizing support for TAY is complex.It opened my eyes at how many people suffer from illness and makes me want to be involved. ~ Youth

MY LIFE OutcomesBucks County MY LIFE youth identified challenges that face youth and have come up suggestions and actions for change. Key issues the groups would like to address include:

Expansion of Youth Involvement Education and Employment OpportunitiesBullyingStigma ReductionHave fun in a safe placeInvolve T