YES - The Child and Family Team
The Child and Family Team
Every youth in the YES system of care should have a Child and Family Team (CFT). A CFT is a group of trusted people chosen by the youth and family to provide encouragement, guidance, and support throughout treatment. The team always includes the youth, their family, and key mental health providers. The team could also include: friends, neighbors, coaches, teachers, faith leaders, and other caring community members. Below are some objectives you can expect to discuss in a CFT meeting
- Celebrate and build on the youth and family’s strengths
- Identify needs and challenges
- Listen to what the youth and family hope to achieve
- Create realistic short- and long-term goals
As a parent/guardian you can assist in the CFT by:
Identify and select individuals in their life to be their informal and formal supports.
- Actively participates.
- Speak up about choices and preferences.
- Set goals.
- Lead the meeting.
As a youth, you can assist the CFT in many of the same ways! Consider participating as much as you feel comfortable and speaking up about your preferences. Let the team know what you feel may be helpful.
Included in this section as a resource is the YES Family Workbook that is designed to assist families in feeling prepared to be active members of their CFT’s. It includes sections that can help you list out crisis and safety plan resources as well as transitioning to adult services or higher/lower levels of care.