When a family is in crisis, the last thing they need is to spend time figuring out how to navigate and access a complex system of governmental and community services. Unfortunately, that’s what happens to many families. But Santa Clara County is determined to transform and streamline its service delivery, and to pursue healing-centered policies, practices and service coordination.

The result will be no “wrong door” for accessing upstream prevention, early intervention and ongoing trauma-informed, healing-focused care—coordinated services and support whenever and however they’re needed.

The County’s Cross-Agency Service Team (CAST) is a collaborative network of leaders created to leverage opportunities for cross-systems coordination to improve beneficial outcomes for all children and families. In 2017, CAST brought MIG in to help plan and facilitate the complex process of promoting systems change, beginning with developing a systemwide framework for trauma-informed care and a social impact network map that showed key linkages between people, organizations and programs.

This work led to assisting CAST and the consulting firm Collective Impact Solutions in designing—with community—an integrated Single System of Support (SSOS). This new model of service will ensure access and coordination across more than 30 organizations, including the County’s Public Health, Behavioral Health, Office of Education, Supportive Housing, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice programs, as well as many community organizations dedicated to addressing the social determinants of health. The SSOS will provide a streamlined process for providing socio-emotional, developmental, behavioral, educational and medical assessments and services for children.

A key component of the SSOS is a deep commitment to racial equity and cultural humility—based on in-depth discussions and context-sensitive activities with County staff and community members about the intersection of race, culture and power in the service delivery system—applying an equity lens to dismantle systemic barriers and implicit biases.

A series of educational materials prepared by MIG with lots of parent input now tell the story of the new SSOS and its benefits for families. Both CAST members and community members helped create messages and visuals for a printable poster that highlights key aspects of the System, with an animated style and bright colors that convey a warm, friendly tone. An educational video offers more detailed explanations and shows how the new system will look in action, using real-life footage and photography from Family Resource Centers in different neighborhoods. It’s accessible on a CAST landing page on the County web portal and through a QR code on the poster. Our products serve as welcoming invitations to families to partner with service providers to access what they need.