In Georgia, each community is required to establish a Local Interagency Planning Team (LIPT) on behalf of the children living there. While communities may decide if they will use an individual county or multi-county approach, they must bring together child-serving organizations and resources to benefit the families served by the LIPT.
The purpose of LIPT is to improve and facilitate the coordination of services for children living with severe behavioral health needs or addictive diseases. LIPTs focus on assuring the following:
Children have access to a coordinated system of supports and services in their area;
A variety of therapeutic and placement services are available in the community;
Fragmentation and duplication of services is limited in order to maximize the potential for children to receive the best care for their needs;
Support of effective referral and screening systems so children have access to appropriate and meaningful care.