FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Is Cornerstone?
What Is A System of Care?
What Are Cornerstone's Goals?
Who Does Cornerstone Serve?
How Does Cornerstone Help Youth And Families?
What's The Change About?

What Is Cornerstone?
A system of care initiative in Clear Creek, Denver, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties focused on the needs of children and youth with mental health challenges involved, or at-risk of involvement, with juvenile justice adn their families. Corenrstone is supported by a grant to the Colorado Department of Human Services from teh federal Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

What Is A System of Care?
A system of care is a broad range of community-based services and supports that are coordinated to meet the individualized needs of youth and their families. The Local Governance Structures in each community guide and make decisions for the local system of care. These Local Governance Structures are comprised of youth, family members, community representatives, agencies, systems, and informal supports.

What Are Cornerstone's Goals?
1. Help communities strengthen their services and supports to meet the needs of youth with mental health needs and their families.

2. Promote needed system change at all levels.

3. Evaluate the system of care to ensure improved services and outcomes.

4. Support families in accessing necessary services and supports.

5. Promote a positive approach to child and adolescent mental health statewide

Who Does Cornerstone Serve?
Youth ages 5 through 21whose family lives in Clear Creek, Denver, Gilpin or Jefferson County,who have significant mental health needs that affect funcitoning in key life areas, and who are involved or are at-risk of involvement with juvenile justice.

How Does Cornerstone Help Youth and Families?
Cornerstone helps youth and families through a family advocate and service coordinator team. The team helps youth and families through the wraparound process identify and access services and supports in their community based on their unique strengths, values, goals, and needs.

This is accomplished through a partnership involving individuals, community organizations and service systems focused on strengthening resources and services.

What's The Change About?
1. Youth and families have maximum "voice and choice".

2. Youth and families are partners and present at all levels of the Initiative.

3. Services are provided in a culturally competent manner.

4. A family advocate and service coordinator team assists families.

5. Youth and family strengths, culture and needs, are the foundation of the individualized service and support plan.

6. Focus is on youth and their family.

7. Support families in advocating for their needs.

8. Access to community-based services and supports in order to keep youth in their families and communities, whenever possible.

9. Early identification and intervention concerning mental health needs.

10. Create a comprehensive and seamless system of care through community partnerships formed by families, youth, family-serving agencies, and systems!