Short Cuts

This brief document summarizes the challenges faced by youth with mental health needs when they enter inappropriate service tunnels dictated by their point of entry and when they encounter transition cliffs as they age out of youth systems and attempt to access adult services. It offers examples of emerging promising practices related to career preparation and employment for youth and offers an action plan to make the coordination of services a cross-systems priority.

Effectively evaluating multi-systems change is very complex and can take a long time before the impact can be realized. This short cut provides readers with information on six systems change focus areas. Additionally you will find promising-practices and an action plan to assist organizations in getting started.

This short cut provides readers with information on how to provide cross-agency cooperation to maximize available expertise and leverage funding streams. This document includes best-practices and an action plan to assist organizations in getting started.

For many families and caregivers of youth with mental health needs, career preparation and exploration are not top priorities. This short cut provides families, caregivers, and youth with mental health needs the information needed to prepare for a career including promising practices from the field and an action plan for success.

Many youth have hidden disabilities that go undiagnosed. This short cut provides information on the appropriate screening processes that can be put into place, promising practices, and an action plan for implementation.