Systems & Policy
We bring together government, youth and family, provider, school, community, and research partners to identify system-level challenges and advance research-based solutions that strengthen infrastructure, improve care, and ensure better outcomes for all children, youth, and families.
Strengthening the system of care for children and families
A well-built, connected system of care supports the behavioral health and well-being of all children, youth, and their families so they can function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout their lives.
CHDI provides leadership to strengthen the children’s behavioral health system in Connecticut and ensure that behavioral health is integrated within other child-serving systems, such as education, child welfare, juvenile justice, early childhood, primary care, and public health.
We fuel meaningful collaboration, guide infrastructure development, and apply data and research to inform the State’s vision, policies, and strategic planning. We promote the delivery of a full continuum of behavioral health services and supports - including promotion, prevention, early identification, and intervention - across home, school, community, and primary care settings.
systems that work better
What we do
- We provide system-level analysis and develop research-based solutions and strategic plans to strengthen the state’s behavioral health system.
- We bring together families, youth, providers, schools, researchers, community partners, policymakers, and others to implement a statewide network of care that integrates behavioral health with other child-serving systems.
- We help strengthen and support the behavioral health workforce of and for the future.
- We work to ensure healthy beginnings for all children by supporting the mental health and trauma needs of young children and families.
Our systems & policy work has helped lead to:
A new level of care
The successful design of Connecticut’s newest level of care. Four Urgent Crisis Centers, funded by DCF, are now providing alternatives to the emergency departments for youth experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
An online training center
An asynchronous and live training portal to increase knowledge and skills related to children’s behavioral health and better support children's behavioral health providers. CHDI is developing 4-6 new training modules annually to fill gaps in training.
More federal support for school mental health
Federal funding to strengthen school mental health services and integrate schools into the State’s system of care for children’s behavioral health.
A trauma-informed workforce
A more trauma-informed workforce, including more child-serving professionals promoting healthy social emotional development and increased workforce training to help child-serving professionals understand, recognize, prevent, and respond to childhood trauma.