In California, systems of care are supported through a child welfare waiver reform. Kansas, North Dakota, Philadelphia and Baltimore have influenced improvements in Medicaid to fund community services. Blended funding is effective in Rhode Island, Vermont, Stark County, Ohio and purchase of service agreements work well in Santa Barbara and Milwaukee. Private, flexible resources are used in San Diego and Baltimore. Marketing has been emphasized in Santa Barbara.
Sites can be successful in achieving financial sustainability, but it takes work and much planning.
To achieve sustainability, sites must maintain their commitment to the philosophy of a system of care, adapt to broader state policy initiatives, especially managed care, and tap into major entitlement funding and state government resource streams. Reallocating resources is an important part of the solution, and generating broad community support through community organizing, social marketing and media work is essential. Ideas illustrated in this monograph can help ensure sustainability for other sites and result in these systems being around to help children and families over the long-haul. E-mail the CECP .