The Partnerships goal is to Improve systems of care through increased coordination and reduced fragmentation of services for children, youth and families in need.  Service coordination and integration include assessment/triage, direct services, individualized care coordination, referrals, service access supports, outreach, and connection to natural support systems.  The Children’s Trust funds 12 services partnerships totaling approximately $9.4M.  Of these, seven service partnerships concentrate there focus on youth exposed and/or involved in violence and other risky behaviors (total funding for these seven equals $6,034,379).  These seven partnerships are deeply connected to the 14 public schools listed below.  In Fiscal Year 2008-09, the partnerships served 3,421 children with intensive services.

Service Partnerships to support strive to improve community conditions by engaging  high-risk communities and address around issues including: truancy reduction; increased family safety (reduced child abuse, neglect and domestic violence); reduced adolescent risky behaviors; provision of legal advocacy for immigrant children; support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth; and support for the children of incarcerated parents. They are structured to support the development of comprehensive “systems of care” for high-risk children/youth and their families by offering coordinated, individualized, wraparound services.  

There are a number of ways an at-risk child and his/her family can access these service.  Families are often connected to the partnerships via self-referral, DCF, DJJ, law enforcement, the court system, school teacher-counselors, other community agencies, clergy, and informal family supports.

Funded Service Partnerships: Service Partnerships at work in the northeast corridor of the county have identified 15 public schools (three elementary, seven middle, and five high schools) where they will concentrate programmatic efforts.