Transforming Together: Implementation Guide
Although not glamorous, how meetings of county leaders and partners work in practice– and what happens before and after meetings– is essential to achieving any success. Specifically: • Commit to frequent meetings–ideally monthly–for both the ILT and EAC. With the many commitments and busy calendars of leaders, it may be tempting to suggest that county ILT and EAC groups can meet just quarterly or even semi-annually. However, cross-agency collaboration experience in California and other states indicates that more regular and consistent meetings are a hallmark of successful systems-change efforts. This guidance is invaluable during the early months (or years) of design and implementation, when teams are working out key issues (and disagreements). If ILT members cannot meet every month, the EAC team must be empowered and supported to take on more responsibility (and decision-making) for transforming the system. • Call meetings by the right name. Name the meetings in ways that support the “wholeness” they are cultivating, as well as the connection of the system. Use nomenclature that supports the focus on creating a fully connected Ecosystem of Care, such as “Children and Youth Ecosystem of Care ILT” or “Children and Youth Ecosystem of Care EAC,” rather than “AB 2083 meeting” or “ILT meeting,” which can create confusion and lack of clarity on calendars. • Follow-up and follow-through. County leaders should ensure meeting routines (and responsibilities) support consistent and timely follow-up with minutes, lists of key decisions or next steps, and other reminders after meetings, as well as timely agenda creation and distribution before meetings.
Effective meetings are not just logistical necessities, they are the engine that drives sustained, coordinated systems change. When held regularly and designed intentionally, meetings help build momentum, foster accountability, resolve conflict, and reinforce shared purpose. Without consistent, well- structured engagement, even the most ambitious plans stall. Leaders who prioritize meaningful meeting practices—before, during, and after—create the conditions for trust, clarity, and collective action, ensuring that the Ecosystem of Care for children and youth continues to evolve and deliver real outcomes. 5 Use staffing strategies to reinforce the system’s collaboration How agencies delegate and deploy managers and staff to support the ILT, EAC, and cross-agency decisions is an opportunity to strengthen collaboration. Specifically: • Adapt or create roles/job descriptions for the ILT and EAC leadership team–clearly outlining the overall functions of the ILT and EAC, as well as the roles of each member. Designate the roles of lead participants, backup participants and any other key leaders who are not regularly part of the ILT or EAC. • Share recruitment, training, coaching, and supervision of staff. For example, ILTs in some California counties share hiring, recruitment, and orientation of key staff, even agreeing to form hiring panels for managers and directors from different agencies to inform each other’s recruitment efforts and ensure alignment with the overall, cross-agency vision for change.
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