Transforming Together: Implementation Guide
for decision-making and can be used to reasonably inform partner processes and collective decisions. For example, county- level school attendance and absenteeism data, while not capturing every nuance, can highlight meaningful trends that guide early interventions. Technology can further support this work by streamlining data sharing and creating common dashboards across agencies. For instance, integrated data platforms can allow behavioral health, education, and social services to input information into a shared system, reducing duplication and enabling real-time monitoring of student outcomes. Such tools not only improve alignment of efforts and input but also help agencies act more quickly and cohesively on shared priorities. Most counties find that the successful coordination of various agency assessment processes, audience and times requires some sort of ad hoc workgroup of quality improvement or system improvement analysts and other subject matter experts from different departments. When possible, youth and caregiver experience can be needed and powerful additions to this effort. The ILT can convene and charge this team. Once assembled, the group will need coaching and support to ensure their joint deliberations lead to a more cohesive and aligned needs determination–and to accomplish what the ILT intends.
Some principles and guidelines that can make this cross-agency team most successful include: • Use a functional inventory matrix or similar tool to crosswalk each agency’s existing processes. Note timelines, frequencies, and the content of each particular assessment. • Make time for the group to orient and educate one another to each department’s related processes. Do not expect that the similar use of terms always means the same thing to each agency. Common understanding and a shared vocabulary come from sharing in a detailed way what different indicators mean, how they are used, and where they fit in the larger determination of community need. • Review the team’s crosswalk to identify where processes or data collection can be streamlined or combined. Determine if any duplicate steps can be removed or if inquiries can be consolidated into a single, shared process. The goal is efficiency, not perfection; complete alignment may not always be possible given differing state and federal requirements • Engage state authorities to inform them that–driven by System of Care principles and in pursuit of better alignment and coordination–local departments will be conducting their needs determination in a broader and more concurrent manner. • Invite or require the ad hoc team to report regularly to the ILT, with status updates and requests for information, support, or clarity from the ILT or partners. • Document decisions and agreements into a shared policy, and reflect those agreements in the AB 2083 System of Care MOU.
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