The Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health
The Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health (TA Partnership) operates under a contract with the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) to provide community-driven technical assistance to system of care communities funded by the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program. The goal of the TA Partnership is to support states and local communities in their efforts to successfully develop and implement systems of care.
The TA Partnership is a collaboration between two mission-driven organizations:
- The Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health – dedicated to effective family leadership and advocacy to improve the quality of life of children with mental health needs and their families, and:
- The American Institutes for Research - committed to improvement in the lives of families and communities through the translation of research into best practice and policy.
The national Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health emerged in 1989 from the grassroots efforts of many individual family members and supportive professionals committed to improving services and supports for children and youths with emotional, behavioral, and mental disturbances and their families. Today, it has evolved into a powerful network driven by the committed passion of thousands of members and more than 120 chapters and State organizations with ever increasing diversity.
What We Stand For
Whatever it takes to ensure that we can raise our children to be healthy, strong, happy, and independent.
Our Contribution
The experiences, voices, and expertise of families whose children have experienced mental health needs. These are the experiences, voices, and expertise needed to guide the transformation of child and family serving systems.
The Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health facilitates monthly teleconferences related to family and youth leadership in national and local evaluation activities for Phases IV and V system of care communities
Among the many activities of the American Institutes for Research is a committed approach to improvement in the lives of families and communities through the translation of research into best practice and policy. Through partnership with the Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, AIR demonstrates a mission and vision to improve the lives of children with serious emotional disturbance and those at risk of developing serious emotional disturbances. The resulting partnership provides technical assistance, resources and support for systems of care programs funded by the Center for Mental Health Services.
Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health
The TA Partnership works in collaboration with CMHS Program Partners, including the National Indian Child Welfare Association, Vanguard Communications, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, ORC Macro and their new partner Walter McDonald and Associates, Inc., and the Georgetown National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health.
1000 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202-403-6827
Fax: 202-403-5007
E-mail: tapartnership@air.org
Web site: www.tapartnership.org
Communications
Information about resources and upcoming technical assistance events offered by the TA Partnership and other Federal program partners is sent to communities on a regular basis. An effort is made to keep communication channels efficient, timely, and informative.
Joy Cunningham
Communications and Administrative Support Specialist
Phone: 713-729-3827
E-mail: jcunningham@air.org
Technical Assistance Coordination and Support
Regional Technical Assistance Coordinators (RTACs)
The RTACs are your key contacts. They will work with you to stay informed about needs in your developing community and help you access the appropriate technical assistance. They are committed to timely responsiveness and working with you to get needs met. They will help to ensure an integrated and coordinated program of technical assistance. RTACs are family members and/or professionals who are full-time senior level staff available to provide technical assistance and help broker and facilitate customer-focused technical assistance. The RTACs will serve as the primary link between funded communities, the TA Partnership staff, CMHS, consultants, and the Federal TA Partners. The RTAC will work to individualize technical assistance for each community and build a network of support among the communities in a given region.
Contact Information for RTACs
| REGION |
RTAC |
Region I
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington DC |
Nadia Cayce
609-625-2711
ncayce@ffcmh.org |
Region II
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee |
Bruce Strahl
Phone: 813-383-2472
E-mail: bstrahl@ffcmh.org |
Region III
Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio |
Frank Rider
Phone: (919) 803-4944
E-mail: frider@ffcmh.org |
Region IV
Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming |
Stephany Bryan
Phone: 512-291-3884
E-mail: sbryan@ffcmh.org |
Region V
California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, and Puerto Rico |
Rebecca Ornelas
Phone: 915-307-4621
E-mail: bornelas@ffcmh.org |
Technical Assistance Resources
Resource Specialists
The Technical Assistance Partnership has thirteen resource specialists who are experts in the areas of family, youth, mental health, juvenile justice, education, child welfare, substance abuse, cultural competence, and primary health care. These advisors work together as a team to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and provide technical assistance in their areas of expertise. The resource specialists work in partnership with the RTACs to address the individual needs of the communities through conference calls and participation in regional meetings. They can also be accessed by email and by phone as well as providing content information through Web-based articles. Data from our previous six years of TA Center operation indicate that telephone conferences and community specific consultation during system of care and other scheduled meetings are an effective method of technical assistance and support. Resource specialists will be available for community visits to a limited degree based on their percentage of time working with the TA Partnership and available resources.
Contact Information for Resource Specialists
Vacant
Juvenile Justice Resource Specialist |
Sandra Keenan
Education Resource Specialist
Phone: 401-782-6096
E-mail: skeenan@air.org |
Kim Williams
Family Resource Specialist
Phone: (317) 876-4602
E-mail: kwilliams@ffcmh.org |
Kim Helfgott
Child Welfare Resource Specialist
Phone: (202) 403-5879
E-mail: khelfgott@air.org |
Lorrin Gehring
Youth Resource Specialist
Phone: 801-377-0357
E-mail: lgehring@ffcmh.org |
Ken Martinez
Mental Health Resource Specialist and Cultural Competence Action Team
Phone: 202-403-6829
E-mail: kmartinez@air.org |
Regenia Hicks
Cultural Competence Action Team
Phone: 713-729-3827
E-mail: rhicks@air.org |
Reyhan Reid
Youth Involvement Resource Specialist
202-403-5134
rreid@air.org |
Sharon Hunt
Interim Substance Abuse Resource Specialist
Phone: 202-403-6914
E-mail: shunt@air.org |
Mary Tierney
Primary Care Resource Specialist
202-403-5620
E-mail: mtierney@air.org |
Erica Van Buren
Cultural Competence Action Team Lead
202-403-5069
E-mail: evanburen@air.org |
Gwen Palmer
Family Resource Specialist
Phone: (619) 741-3308
E-mail: gpalmer@ffcmh.org |
Cultural Competence Action Team (CCAT)
The Cultural Competence Action Team will work to ensure that cultural and linguistic competence is infused in all aspects of technical assistance and in building systems of care in the communities. The TA Partnership is the newly designed “hub” for cultural competence in the system of care program.
This team, working in collaboration with the RTACs to address community needs, will respond to TA requests, develop “hands-on” briefs highlighting best practices in cultural competence in selected communities, develop a searchable resource bank, and utilize a Web page to disseminate useful and cutting edge policies and practical strategies in cultural competence. The CCAT will provide a linkage to key resources, which include the National Center for Cultural Competence at Georgetown University, the National Alliance of Multi-ethnic Behavioral Health Associations (NAMBHA), and the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA). This team will be a resource to technical assistance providers and communities.
Barbara Bazron
Lead, Cultural Competence Action Team
Phone: (202) 403-5124
E-mail: bbazron@air.org
Erika Van Buren
Lead, Cultural Competence Action Team
evanburen@air.org
Ken Martinez
kmartinez@air.org
Kim Williams
kwilliams@ffcmh.org
Youth MOVE
The NYDB supports a national youth movement through the youth leadership training program at system of care meetings, creation of youth-guided principles and policies, and development of training tools, guides, and other documents. The board serves in an advisory capacity to CMHS and technical assistance partners. The board is a resource on youth involvement and leadership for system of care communities.
Lorrin Gehring
E-mail: lgehring@ffcmh.org
TJ Curtis
E-mail: Papi2remember6@aol.com
The consultant pool consists of individuals with specific expertise in developing systems of care. The list of consultants is available on the TA Partnership Web site at www.tapartnership.org. There will also be a link to consultants available through the National Center on Cultural Competence at Georgetown University. System of care communities can search for a consultant by name and by area of expertise.
The TA Partnership plans and coordinates national and multiple regionally-based system of care community meetings. These meetings address cutting edge concerns of communities, provide networking and technical assistance opportunities, and feature the lessons learned by communities, families, and youth. In addition, the TA Partnership organizes and conducts special topic meetings. Information on these meetings will be sent to all communities and program partners. For information on the regional meetings, contact your RTAC.
Team Learning Centers are graduated, mature, or other communities that have successfully established and sustained a system of care. The Team Learning Centers will be matched with young communities to provide peer-to-peer technical assistance. There are currently three Team Learning Centers. This list will be expanded as more communities are recruited. Access to the Team Learning Centers can be coordinated through your RTAC or by contacting the Team Learning Center. We strongly recommend that these visits occur after your first year of operation.
Westchester County Team Learning Center
Michael Orth, MSW
Technical Assistance Coordinator
Westchester Community Network
Westchester County DCMH
112 East Post Road – 2nd Floor
White Plains, New York 10601
Phone: 914/995-5225, Fax: 914/995-6220
E-mail: mmo6@westchestergov.com
Wraparound Milwaukee Team Learning Center
Bruce Kamradt
Director of Wraparound Milwaukee
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division
9201 Watertown Plank Road
Milwaukee, WI 53226
Phone: 414/257-7639, Fax: 414/257-7575
E-mail: bkamradt@milwcnty.com
The Dawn Project Team Learning Center
Knute Rotto
Project Director
The Dawn Project
4701 North Keystone Avenue, Suite 150
Indianapolis, IN 46205
Phone: 317/205-8202, Fax: 317/726-2130
E-mail: krotto@kidwrap.org
Communities of Practice (COP)
The TA Partnership will support individuals with a shared interest, challenge or characteristics through ongoing “community of practice.” Staff will facilitate discussion, shared problem-solving, networking and support to COP with the system of care communities. COP may be established around roles, such as program directors, clinical directors, lead family members or issues (e.g. advancing cultural competence or aligning with primary care).
Lead staff: Ivonn Ellis-Wiggan
Learning Opportunities: Webinars
Learning opportunities promote peer-to-peer exchange and knowledge sharing among system of care communities to address common challenges in systems of care. System of care communities are given a forum to discuss strategies for overcoming barriers to system of care development. The TA Partnership provides a master calendar with a logical and cumulative sequence of Webinars on topical areas of concern across system of care communities. Resource specialists or other experts in systems of care development facilitate each discussion. The calendar of Webinars is on our Web site, and you will receive notification prior to each regularly scheduled Webinar.
Tiara Etheridge
E-mail: teiheridge@air.org
Web Site
The TA Partnership’s Web site (www. tapartnership.org) contains our newsletter (described below), a calendar of events, topical discussion boards, and electronic registration pages for our learning opportunities and meetings. Additional information includes contact information for all the RTACs, resource specialists, consultants, and system of care communities, plus links to many useful resources. In addition, the Web site contains mini-Web pages for each of our resource specialists.
For Information Contact:
Araine Gordon
E-mail: agordon@air.org
Nick Read
E-mail: nread@air.org
E-Newsletter
We publish an monthly electronic newsletter on the TA Partnership’s Web page. It contains items carefully selected from almost 30 independent sources as well as original columns: Highlights from the Field, which describes excellent system of care practices and Families Matter!, which presents a family voice on system of care issues. The newsletter is designed to be relevant to administrators, providers across multiple child-serving fields, family members, and other stakeholders in systems of care. The newsletter also includes information about upcoming events, new research findings, and funding opportunities.
For Information Contact:
Nick Read
E-mail: nread@air.org
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
The TA Partnership is committed to evaluating all of its technical assistance activities and continually improving the TA provided and the ways in which it is provided. We will rely on your timely and regular feedback to guide the direction of these refinements and improvements in the program. Our CQI plan incorporates indicators that we have learned are important in helping communities transform and strengthen the way they serve children and their families.
For Information Contact Leads for CQI: Ivonn Ellis-Wiggan (ielliswiggan@ffcmh.org), David Osher (DOsher@air.org), and Sandra Spencer (sspencer@ffcmh).
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