Breaking Barriers

On April 27 & 28, 2017, Breaking Barriers hosted its second annual Children's Interagency Symposium in Sacramento, California. Over 150 attendees spent two full days learning, collaborating, and inspiring one another.

The program featured talks and presentations from leading thinkers on children's systems of care:

• Shared Service Delivery and Governance for California's Youth and Families: From "I to We" via Systems of Care 2.0
  • Richard Knecht, M.S., Integrated Human Services Group
• Breaking Barriers: Uniting in Support of Our Children and Families
  • Carroll Schroeder, California Alliance of Child and Family Services
• Drivers of Change - Health (Handouts)
  • Steve Hornberger and Briana Duffy, SDSU School of Social Work Social Policy Institute
• Multi-Tiered Early Intervention and Support Program
  • San Francisco Unified School District
• Interagency Collaboration: Integrated Care
  • Mount Diablo Unified School District
• Breaking Barriers
  • West Contra Costa Unified School District
• Deepening our System of Care
  • Placer County
• Breaking Barriers
  • Napa County
• Fresno County Health and Wellness Collaborative
  • Fresno County
• Solano SELPA CARE
  • Solano County
• Breaking Barriers Summary of Pending Legislation
  • Breaking Barriers

Participants also distributed these materials at the Symposium: 

• Systems of Care: A Framework for System Reform in Children's Mental Health

• Return on Investment in Systems of Care for Children With Behavioral Health Challenges

• Improving Community Health by Strengthening Community Investment: Roles for Hospitals and Health Systems

• Strong Foundations: The Economic Futures of Kids and Communities

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2016 SYMPOSIUM

On April 21-22, 2016 over 200 children's advocates from across California convened in Sacramento for Breaking Barriers' inaugural Interagency Symposium. Expert facilitators supported children's agency leadership from 11 California counties in developing concrete plans to collaborate across administrative and fiscal silos to address the social, emotional, behavioral, and educational needs of all the children in their communities. 

Breaking Barriers founder Elizabeth Estes delivered opening remarks, linking her personal and professional experience to Breaking Barriers mission, goals, and strategies. 

Breaking Barriers Advisory Board member and project consultant Dr. Ronald J. Powell delivered the Keynote Presentation in which he outlined challenges and opportunities in the planning and administration of children's programs, and suggested strategies to advance a comprehensive continuum of social, emotional, behavioral, and educational supports for all California children.