Family & Children First Council

The Delaware County System of Care intends to meet the needs of those children and their families in a coordinated, simplified, and cost effective manner. System of Care makes the presumption that the needs of many youth and families who come into contact with the juvenile justice system, children services, developmental disability services, mental health services, drug and alcohol services and others are being adequately met by those systems. It recognizes that each system has areas of responsibility and expertise, and that the collaborative approach is not intended to replace the primary role of any one of these systems. This ensures that the need of other interventions can be identified prior to court involvement, and that services are put in place to meet those needs, building on family strengths. System of Care is a reinforcement and creative option for all the involved systems to access when the resources of one system are not adequate to address the needs of the youth and family, regardless of which system they first entered. System of Care supports the following:

Ohio’s commitments to child well-being, expectant parents and newborns thrive; infants and toddlers thrive; children are ready for school; children and youth succeed in school; youth choose healthy behaviors; youth successfully transition into adulthood.
Coordinate appropriate, effective and cost-efficient services for children and families.
Increase family involvement throughout the levels of planning and services.
Support early intervention to families.
Encourage shared responsibility among systems serving children and families.
Be locally driven.

Delaware County Family and Children First Council provide integration and planning to improve community based, family centered services. Administrator of the system include staff from Job and Family Services, Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Delaware County Juvenile Court, Delaware –Morrow County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, and other agency representatives as determined by parent or case. These may include but not limited to: Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, Delaware City Schools, Olentangy Local Schools, Buckeye Valley Schools, Big Walnut Schools, other foster care agencies, Head Start, Delaware General Health District (Help Me Grow), healthcare providers, counselors, etc.