Coordinated Children’s Services Initiative

The Coordinated Children’s Services Initiative (CCSI) is an interagency initiative that supports localities in creating systems of care to ensure that children who are at risk of residential placement remain at home with their families and in their communities. This principle guides a process of cooperative interagency planning that develops and delivers individualized services to children and their families.

CCSI Philosophy

• Develop and plan for one child and family at a time
  Service plans are developed around individual needs, not program categories.
• Provide supports and services in family and community settings
  Reduce over-reliance on restrictive and expensive out-of-home placements
• Develop parent/professional partnerships
  Parents are involved at all levels of service planning and delivery.
• Use strength-based approaches
  Focus on child and family strengths as opposed to problems or pathology.
• Deliver services that are culturally competent Recognize that a family’s cultural background might affect the determination of appropriate services.
• Provide care that is unconditional
  Embrace the idea that services are provided to all in need regardless of how, when, or where they come in to the system.

Services

• Coordination of a “child and family team” comprised of family chosen support persons all assembled to assess the family’s strengths, assess their needs (as prioritized by the family) and assist in developing an individualized service plan.
• “Flexible” service dollars to purchase needed services and goods not otherwise available to the family.
• Facilitate communication with community and state level teams regarding obstacles and barriers that families are encountering in implementing action plans.

For Further Information Contact:

Heather Starks, LCSW
Monroe County ACCESS
1099 Jay Street, Building J, Suite 201A

Rochester, NY 14611

Call 585 753-2697