12 Principles of “The Arizona Vision for Children”
The “Arizona Vision for Children” is based on twelve principles to which Southwest Network is both obligated and committed. The Arizona Vision states:
In collaboration with the child and family and others, Arizona will provide accessible behavioral health services designed to aid children to achieve success in school, live with their families, avoid delinquency, and become stable and productive adults.
Services will be tailored to the child and family and provided in the most appropriate setting, in a timely fashion and in accordance with best practices, while respecting the child’s family’s cultural heritage.
1. Collaboration with the child and family
Respect for and active collaboration with the child and parents are the cornerstones to achieving positive behavioral health outcomes. Parents and children are treated as partners in the assessment process, and the planning, delivery, and evaluation of behavioral health services, and their preferences are taken seriously.
2. Functional outcomes
Behavioral health services are designed and implemented to help children achieve success in school, live happily with their families, avoid delinquency, and become stable and productive adults. Implementation of the behavioral health services plan stabilizes the child’s condition and minimizes safety risks.
3. Collaboration with others
When children have multi-agency, multi-system involvement, a joint assessment is developed and a jointly established behavioral health services plan is collaboratively implemented.
Client-centered teams plan and deliver services. Each child’s team includes the child and parents and any foster parents, and any individual(s) important in the child’s life who is invited to participate. The team also includes all other persons needed to develop an effective plan, including, as appropriate, the child’s teacher, the child’s Child Protective Service and/or Division of Developmental Disabilities caseworker, and the child’s probation officer. The team:
(a) develops a common assessment of the child’s and family’s strengths and needs;
(b) develops an Individual Service Plan;
(c) monitors implementation of the Plan and;
(d) makes adjustments in the Plan if it is not succeeding.
4. Accessible services
Children have access to a comprehensive array of behavioral health services, sufficient to ensure that they receive the treatment they need. Plans identify transportation the parents and child need to access behavioral health services, and how transportation assistance will be provided. Behavioral health services are adapted or created when they are needed but not available.
5. Best practices
Competent individuals who are adequately trained and supervised provide behavioral health services. They are delivered in accordance with guidelines adopted by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) that incorporate evidence-based “best practices.” Behavioral health service plans identify and appropriately address behavioral symptoms that are reactions to the death of a family member, abuse or neglect, learning disorders, and other similar traumatic or frightening circumstances, substance abuse problems, the specialized behavioral health needs of children who are developmentally disabled, maladaptive sexual behavior, including abusive conduct and risky behavior, the need for stability, and the need to promote permanency in members’ lives, especially members in foster care. Behavioral health services are continuously evaluated and modified if ineffective in achieving desired outcomes.
6. Most appropriate setting
Children are provided behavioral health services in their home and community to the extent possible. Behavioral health services are provided in the most integrated setting appropriate to the child’s needs. When provided in a residential setting, the setting is the most integrated and most home-like setting that is appropriate to the child’s needs.
7. Timeliness
Children identified as needing behavioral health services are assessed and served promptly.
8. Services tailored to the child and family
The unique strengths and needs of children and their families dictate the type, mix, and intensity of behavioral health services provided. Parents and children are encouraged and assisted to articulate their own strengths and needs, the goals they are seeking, and what services they think are required to meet these goals.
9. Stability
Behavioral health service plans strive to minimize multiple placements. Service plans identify whether a member is at risk of experiencing a placement disruption and if so, identify the steps to be taken to minimize or eliminate the risk. Behavioral health service plans anticipate crises that might develop and include specific strategies and services that will be employed if a crisis develops. In responding to crises, the behavioral health system uses all appropriate behavioral health services to help the child remain at home, minimize placement disruptions, and avoid the need for the police and criminal justice system. Behavioral health service plans anticipate and appropriately plan for transitions in children’s lives, including transitions to new schools and new placements, and transitions to adult services.
10. Respect for the child and family’s unique cultural heritage
Behavioral health services are provided in a manner that respects the cultural traditions and heritage of the child and family. Services are provided in Spanish to children and parents whose primary language is Spanish.
11. Independence
Behavioral health services include support and training for parents in meeting their child’s behavioral health needs and support and training for children in self-management. Behavioral health service plans identify parents’ and children’s need for training and support to participate as partners in the assessment process, and in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of services, and provide that such training and support, including transportation assistance, advance discussions, and help with understanding written materials, will be made available.
12. Connection to natural supports
The behavioral health system identifies and appropriately utilizes natural supports available from the child’s and parents’ network of associates, including friends and neighbors, and from community organizations, including service and religious organizations.
For assistance: If you would like to enroll your child for behavioral health services with us, please call us at 602.304.0014 and we will assist you. If your child is already enrolled with Southwest Network, please contact the location where your child is receiving services.