The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59887

Evelyn R. Frankford, MSW and Yvette Lamb, MEd. Health and Human Development, Education Development Center, 55 Chapel Street, Newton, MA 02458, 617.618.2421, efrankford@edc.org

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness that adolescents aging out of the children’s mental health system into young adulthood need a developmentally appropriate range of support and services as they make this transition if they are to avoid dropping out of school, unemployment, becoming involved with the criminal justice system, and homelessness. How can state and local policy and program take on this challenge in a systematic way in an era of budget cuts? Can stakeholders build a young adult transition framework onto the foundation of existing systems of care? Onto existing rudimentary but existing programs? Using multiple funding sources and entitlements? This presentation will describe a transition strategy for one state and how it is being developed in conjunction with the existing child and adolescent system of care framework and other programs.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Identify ways to replicate one state’s strategy for building a transition infrastructure in other states using existing programs and multiple funding sources
• 2.Apply and adapt the child and adolescent systems of care model to an older age group

Keywords: Adult and Child Mental Health, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.