The Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families (RICCF) released a comprehensive policy brief, Children in Crisis Can’t Wait: The Case for System Transformation, highlighting “the urgent challenges facing the state’s children’s behavioral health system”.
According to RICCF, the report reveals that years of fragmentation have left children and families with inconsistent access to services and inadequate care and suggests several actionable steps for immediate systemic reform.
“The findings in this policy brief highlight a critical moment for Rhode Island’s children,” said Tanja Kubas-Meyer, RICCF Executive Director in a statement. “We have the opportunity to reimagine a behavioral health system that prioritizes our children’s needs. Rhode Island must have a system that ensures that children from birth to adulthood receive timely and effective support and that our system is integrated and fully responsive. It’s time for us to act decisively to transform our children’s behavioral health system of care.”
“Once a national leader in children’s behavioral health services, Rhode Island’s system has become increasingly fragmented, with services spread across multiple agencies and funding streams,” RICCF says in a press release. “The lack of centralized leadership results in a disjointed system where families often struggle to navigate available services”.
“As we navigate the complexities of children’s behavioral health, we must remember that every child deserves access to the care they need,” said Margaret Holland McDuff, CEO of Family Service of RI in a statement. “This policy brief is a call to action for lawmakers and stakeholders to come together and invest in a comprehensive system that supports our most vulnerable youth and their families.”
The policy brief details the importance of creating a robust continuum of care that includes early intervention, trauma-informed services, and developmentally appropriate support for all children, according to RICCF. “Without these measures, many children are at risk of preventable hospital visits, emergency room use, and, in severe cases, out-of-state placements”.
“The current state of children’s behavioral health services in Rhode Island is unacceptable,” said Benedict F. Lessing Jr., CEO of Community Care Alliance. “We cannot allow fragmentation and disinvestment to define our system any longer. The recommendations outlined in this brief provide a clear pathway toward building a robust and unified approach that addresses the unique needs of our children.”
RICCF proposes the creation of a cabinet-level division for Children’s Behavioral Health to coordinate and oversee services, develop culturally appropriate prevention and treatment programs, and ensure accountability. RICCF also recommends convening a Children’s Behavioral Health Working Group to redesign and strengthen the state’s continuum of care.
To create meaningful and lasting change, RICCF suggests several actionable steps, including:
- Conducting regular assessments of service capacity and needs, particularly for youth with complex mental health challenges.
- Developing a coordinated, accessible data hub to track population needs, service outcomes, and funding data.
- Expanding workforce pathways to build a diverse and culturally competent network of providers.
