Overview

System of Care Chicago is family driven. Families are the focus of our efforts and are key partners in everything we do. Parents are responsible for ensuring the family voice is the driving force in the treatment of children with emotional and behavioral problems. The Family Resource Developers (FRD's) provide support to families as they face the challenges associated with raising their children. The FRD component of SOCC guarantees that System of Care meets the physical, emotional, financial, cultural/spiritual needs of the families it serves. Family voice and choice is essential to obtaining the best care for our children.

SOCC uses the personal strengths of the family to both plan and deliver services. It also involves families as full partners on teams that plan services and make decisions about services for their own children and to help others improve services for other children and families in their community. Among the benefits and opportunities for families when they become actively involved In SOCC are:

• Provides an opportunity to effect meaningful change
• Feels good to make a contribution
• Makes providers accountable to families
• Provides opportunities to network with other families and providers
• Builds knowledge and skills
• Models community Involvement and empowerment for our children and family
• Makes things better for other families
• Increases sense of "people power"
• Offers sense of accomplishment
• Offers leadership role models for other families
• Decreases the Isolation that so many families face when their children are having difficulties

Active family Involvement also directly benefits Individuals who work with families in helping professionals, as well as the entire community. Professionals and communities benefit from family Involvement in the following ways:

• Improves the quality of progress and services
• Increases responsiveness of programs and policies
• Keeps programs relevant and realistic
• Brings fresh perspective and creative solutions
• Increases visibility of and respect for programs In the community
• Increases cohesiveness and collaboration between service agencies
• Helps save money and waste - both of time and money!
  
  

Under SOCC, the family is always at the center of the process and they always have as much say about the plan as the providers involved. The discussions center on the child and their family, their individual strengths and needs, and what each provider can contribute to meeting those needs. Together, all the participants work as team to develop a detailed plan about how each child and family will best be served.