Family Voice and Choice Committee Update – November, 2011

Family Engagement in the Collaborative Management Program

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Support for Promoting Family Engagement in CMP Activities

  • The first goal of the CMP legislation speaks to “including the input, expertise, and active participation of parent advocacy or family advocacy organizations” and strongly encourages CMPs to engage family representatives to ensure that systems are responsive to the families they serve.
  • Family voices are critical at all levels of CMP efforts. Family representatives contribute unique perspectives not only to policy but also tothe content and delivery of family services. For example, family representatives mayidentify potential challenges for families in service plans or policies. This can informefforts to develop more integrated and streamlined processes which result in better family engagement in services andimproved child and family outcomes.

Current Family Participation in CMP Activities

CMP data collected through the Family Voice and Choice Committee efforts and county-level annual reporting, demonstrate that family involvement in CMP activities has been steadily increasing throughout the past several years. Data for 2010-11 provided a snapshot of family involvement in the IOG and ISST levels as well as in individual service planning processes.

  • IOG level
  • Approximately 2/3 of IOGs reported at least one family member, youth, or family organization representative on their IOG.
  • Over 40% of CMPs reported at least one family member on their IOG, about 40%reported at least one family advocate, and about 20% reported at least one youth member.
  • ISST level
  • Nearly half of CMPs (12 CMPs, 46%) reported that family members are always viewedas partners in service planning for other families, and the vast majority (85%) of CMPs reportedthat family members are seen in this way at least “sometimes.”
  • Participation in service planning
  • The majority (63%, 17 CMPs) of CMPs indicated involving families immediately after being determined eligible for ISST services and nearly one‐third (30%, 8 CMPs) reported that families are first contacted prior to a decision regarding ISST eligibility.
  • The vast majority of CMPS (96%) reported that primary caregivers participate in the ISST either frequently or always
  • A majority (77%) reported that important decisions about services are rarely or never made without the family present
  • A majority (89%) reported that the family frequently or always participates in the process of developing and writing service plans, and is then given a copy of that plan (93%).

Role of the CMP Family Voice and Choice Committee

The Family Voice and Choice Committee was originally formed as a result of the first CMP Planning Retreat. Its purpose is to ensure that family and youth involvement is a high priority of the CMP and to support local CMPs in their family engagement work. The committee meets monthly and has state-wide representation and includes family representatives, local project directors, local providers and state partners.

The committee has initiated numerous data collection efforts related to CMP family involvement and advocacy work. The overarching goal of these efforts has been for the committee to gain understanding about CMP family involvement and advocacy activity in order to identify areas for county-level resource development and training.

Currently, the Committee is exploring current 2010-11 family involvement data to develop firm recommendations and next steps for 2011-12 committee work. Identified CMP needs and resultant preliminary goals of the committee include the following:
  • Provision of resources to define consistent roles of family advocates and support partners
  • Development of resources and recommendations for consistent training, supervision and job development support of family advocates
  • Development of strategies to increase successful recruitment and retention of family partners in CMP activities

The Family Voice and Choice Committee has an important role in statewide CMP efforts. As a committee comprised of local experts and family support organizations, the committee can serve to promote the continued importance of family engagement and adherence to key goals of the CMP legislation.

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