Systems of Care

The framework for the System of Care (SOC) initiative describes the Ohio Family and Children First (OFCF) Cabinet's commitment to implement a coordinated continuum of services and supports for all children and families, with an emphasis on behavioral health care. SOC is a broad, flexible array of effective services and supports that focus on family-centered practice, community-based services, strengthening the capacity of families, and providing individualized services. SOC involves an organized, coordinated network (i.e., Family and Children First) that integrates services/supports planning, coordination and management across multiple levels.

The OFCF Cabinet recognizes full implementation of a SOC is a long-term process that requires extensive cross-system policy integration and resource alignment. With limited funding, the Cabinet's current priorities reflect an incremental approach to advancing a comprehensive array of needed services for Ohio's children and families. The foundational SOC components for SFY10-11 are:

  • Children's Community Behavioral Health (CCBH)
  • Family-Centered Services and Supports (FCSS)
  • Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC)
  • Behavioral Health-Juvenile Justice (BH/JJ) projects