Luzerne-Wyoming Counties System of Care Expansion - Luzerne-Wyoming Counties System of Care Expansion (LW-SOCE) will create infrastructure and services for a comprehensive system of care for children birth to age 12, and their families in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties in Northeast Pennsylvania. The focus will be developing developmentally appropriate services and supports for infants, toddlers, pre-school and elementary school age children with or at risk of serious emotional disturbance. A review of data on young children receiving behavioral health services in the two counties between 2021-2023, through the current SOC Initiative reflects a profile of significant diversity and need that will be addressed by LW-SOCE. Data on 106 children ages 5- 12 show that 21.7% reported Hispanic ethnicity, 11.3% reported their race as Black or African American, 4.6% reported sexual orientation of gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and 1.9% reported other gender identity. Poverty and trauma are significant challenges for the families of these young children. 28.3% of caregivers reported a family income less than $35,000. 33% reported that their children had experienced trauma, with 91.4% of those indicating that the youth experienced interpersonal violence and 17.1% reported that the youth had experienced community or school violence. Furthermore, the data indicates the need for significant clinical support. Primary caregiver reports show 22.6% of youth had a history of suicidal ideation and 4.7% had a history of suicide attempts. 62.9% of youth scored in the clinically impaired range on the Columbia Impairment Scale assessing functioning and relationships, and 63.2% of youth scored in the clinically impaired range on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist assessing behaviors and emotions. In addition, 33% of primary caregivers scored in the high strain and 49% scored in the medium strain categories on the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire. The strategy of LW-SOCE involves working closely with families/caregivers, child serving agencies, and local organizations to create community-wide embrace of young child wellness. Interventions involve development of a coordinated network of comprehensive mental health and support services to meet the varied needs of children at risk for or with social/emotional disturbance, their families, and caregivers. LW-SOCE goals start with establishment of Young Child Teams working closely with children and their families to identify concerns, develop comprehensive plans, and facilitate services and supports. Evidence-based clinical programs and parenting programs will be created or enhanced. Agreements will be developed for collaboration with Child Welfare agencies, early care and learning centers, and elementary schools in the two counties. There will be a variety of training protocols to help parents, childcare staff, elementary school staff, and child serving agencies learn about how best to support young children with behavioral challenges. Respite services and parent support groups will be available to help parents. Collaboration with faith communities and community organizations will be available to assist families with practical living resources such as food, shelter, transportation, and household good. A public awareness campaign will be established to inform the community about young child development. A Grant Management Team will work with a Governance Team to improve collaboration across child & family-serving programs, guide the implementation of LW-SOCE, monitor impact, and make recommendations for continuous improvement. Clinical services and parent education will be delivered to 50 children in year one, 75 in year two, 85 in year three, and 60 in year four with 270 children being served throughout the grant period. 75% of children served will exhibit reductions in behavioral difficulties, 60% will experience improved social-emotional functioning, and 60% of parents will report improved caregiver practices & child-caregiver interactions.
