Equipping Child & Youth System of Care Teams

It was great to spend time with over 100 System of Care (SOC) partners from across the state who joined CFPIC for the Strengthening County Fiscal Strategies: Funding, Forecasting, and Sustainability webinar on January 28, part of our Equipping Child and Youth System of Care Teams series.

Our expert fiscal panel, Robert Manchia, Melissa Chavez, Mike Geiss, Ardee Apostol, Michelle Callejas, and Monica Bentley, shared practical insights county fiscal and program teams can take back and apply right away. The discussion focused on funding allocations across the SOC, core financial planning strategies, and the critical role of ongoing fiscal monitoring in sustaining effective systems.

Panelists acknowledged that funding streams are often volatile, while reinforcing the importance of strong communication, cross-system partnerships, and intentional braiding of funds to maximize available resources and maintain service quality.

Most importantly, the conversation showed we need close coordination between fiscal and program teams to achieve meaningful outcomes, including fewer placement disruptions due to funding challenges, more targeted and higher-quality behavioral health services for youth, and reduced entry and re-entry into congregate care.

Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation and contributed to such a rich exchange. To access webinar materials, visit the CBSI page on our website. You’ll also find additional resources related to CalAIM, our System of Care Coordination Tool, and other supports focused on capacity building and system integration.

Our next equipping series will be held in the spring and focus on aligning AB 2083 & Prevention – flyer and additional details coming soon!