Mercer County Family & Children First
Council
"A way for families and their children
to obtain services with coordination".
Phone: 419-586-5663 Ext: 1004
What is the county Family and Children First
Council (FCFC)?
The county FCFC includes families and people
from local agencies and community organizations in that county. This group
of individuals works together, partnering to improve the well-being
of children and families. There is an FCFC in every Ohio County.
The purpose of the county FCFC is to coordinate
services in the county in a way that is simple and organized for families. The
FCFC does this with service coordination. You and your child meet with
the family service coordination team to share information and ideas and decide
what services your child should receive. Together, you, your child and the team
make an individual plan for how your child will obtain services and who
will pay for them. The team must write the plan by following the county's
service coordination "mechanism". Your family is a very important
part of making the decisions.
What must the individual family service
coordination plan say?
The individual family service plan must include:
- Which
agencies are responsible for giving your child and family the services you
need. The agencies can be state, county, local, public and private as
well as informal supports.
- Who
will coordinate services? Your family approves the individual
who will coordinate services, this person makes sure that the individual
service coordination plan gets started and the family continues
to receive the planned services.
- There
is assurance that your child gets the services that she or he needs, the
individual family service coordination plan must also make sure that your
family gets services that support your family's strengths.
- Opportunities
for your child and family to give your opinions, ideas and suggestions
about how to make services respect your family's culture, race and ethnic
group.
- Services
in the least restrictive environment, a least restrictive environment
is when a child receives services in the most helpful setting while being
around other children.
- Start
and finish time of the individual plan.
- What
will the county do if there is an emergency situation or a
"short-term crisis situation" for your child or your family?
- If
your child is alleged to be an unruly child, a process to try to keep your
child out of the juvenile justice system.
The Important Role of Families
The reason for service coordination is to unite
children and families with the services they need. Your family's thoughts
and ideas can help your county make service coordination better for children
and families.
How can I help my child and family?
Tell the FCFC about your child and family. Once
the FCFC knows about your child, the FCFC might make it easier for your child
and family to get services you need. When you tell the FCFC about your child,
you are doing something called "self-referral."
Go to meetings about your individual family
service coordination plan. You can tell the team your ideas about what should
be part of your plan.
Tell the FCFC if you approve of the person they
choose to coordinate the services in your individual family service coordination
plan.
Ask for meetings to talk about your individual
family service coordination plan. You can ask for a meeting to talk about how
the plan is working, and if it needs to be changed.
Bring an advocate to your individual family
service coordination plan meeting if you need someone to help you or give you
support. Sometimes it is easier to say what you think if another person who is
on your side is helping you, or is just there to support you.
For more information contact: Family
& Children First Council Coordinator
(419) 586-4663 Ext: 1004
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