News release
Child & Family Center is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Santa Clarita Valley Interagency Behavioral Health Committee, a collaborative community effort established by Child & Family Center in 2001 to strengthen coordination, improve access to services, and support the well-being of children, youth, and families throughout the SCV, the nonprofit announced in a news release.
Twenty-five years ago, the committee brought together a diverse group of school representatives, health care providers, behavioral health providers, community-based organizations, law enforcement, probation, and county departments, including the Departments of Children and Family Services and Mental Health, the release said.
“Together, committee members work to identify community needs, reduce barriers to care, share resources, and develop coordinated approaches to better support children, youth, foster youth, families and caregivers,” the release said.
The committee’s purpose is rooted in a systems approach that promotes awareness of community needs, strengthens multidisciplinary collaboration, and improves the lives of children and families. Its ongoing work includes confidential case presentations and consultations, development of integrated educational, treatment and service plans, resource sharing, and identification of community needs and opportunities.
“It’s hard to believe it has been 25 years,” Larry Schallert, one of the founding committee members and a former Child & Family Center therapist, said in the release. “When we started, many of us didn’t know each other’s referral criteria, protocols, or even one another personally, and people were frustrated trying to help families navigate disconnected systems. The interagency approach helped us move from ‘that’s someone else’s case’ to a shared-responsibility model in which we stayed engaged, solved problems together, and built real relationships. Through the years, we became colleagues, friends and partners — and that collaboration has made a lasting difference for our community.”
“For 25 years, this committee has represented the very best of collaboration in the Santa Clarita Valley,” Nikki Buckstead, president & CEO of Child & Family Center, said in the release. “No single organization can meet every need alone. The formation of this collaboration ensures we can better support children, youth, and families through coordinated, compassionate, and effective care. Child & Family Center is proud to have established and continued supporting this important community partnership.”
Over the years, the SCV Interagency Behavioral Health Committee has helped reduce barriers to care, support coordinated case consultation, and strengthen communication among youth- and family-serving organizations, according to the release. The committee continues to meet regularly, providing a consistent space for community partners to collaborate, problem-solve, and respond to the community’s changing needs.
For more information about the SCV Interagency Behavioral Health Committee, contact Jaime Piscione, vice president of programs and services, at [email protected]
