Last Updated:
06/05/2007

History of System of Care Youth Movement

It is with great pleasure that we present the first Guide to Youth Involvement for System of Care Communities created by youth in partnership with caring adults.  This guide is available by contacting Youth Forum.

For a long time now, the youth across the nation have been asking for this. It has been one of our greatest ambitions to have a manual written with our input and recommendations as to what a youth friendly, youth empowering, environment truly means. We hope that this guide finally accomplishes this and that the people that have chosen to become a part of the youth movement and empowering process, really find it a knowledgeable resource in their communities, to effectively empower and involve youth in all aspects of their community. To that end, we have put together a brief history of our youth movement and some of our finest moments, in an effort to give you, the reader, an understanding of our needs and accomplishments.

Over the last 15 years, the family movement has led the way for positive change in children's mental health services. Families are now seen as valuable partners and are empowered by this process. Youth have also been seen as valuable partners and experts on their own needs. Youth involvement in policy making has steadily risen. Some of the organizations that have helped spread the word are Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, The Children's Defense Fund, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Mental Health Services. Their willingness to have youth-involvement at their annual conferences has helped us educate more and more communities on the value of youth empowerment and involvement.

Today, the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families program ensures that young people with serious emotional disturbance who have systematically been denied the opportunity to share in the home, community, and educational life have a "voice" in each system that serves them. This has not always been the case. 

In 2000, the Surgeon General held a conference on Mental Health for Children and Youth.  This was a pioneering conference where young people were invited to sit at the table with families and professionals and discuss the Surgeon General's Report on Children's Mental Health.  The adults at the tables were well intentioned, but the youth voice was lost in the jargon, competition for time, and other variables that made the youth feel unwelcome and tokenized.  The youth made a decision that would change the shape of youth voice in public policy forever.  They unanimously decided to not go to the conference the second day because they did not feel respected.  Their absence was noticed.  Everyone asked where the youth were and what had happened to them.  Their absence left a void. The youth rejoined the group after having written a manifesto asking the parents and professionals to treat them with respect and dignity.  Among the specific requests were to not use acronyms or to describe them in the third person when they were meeting with youth, to fund and support youth organizations with the same intensity family organizations were being supported, and to make room for youth to participate when they are asked to sit at policy tables.  The entire conference became more youth friendly. At the end, Cecilia Nation from Alaska delivered to the Surgeon General, Dr. Thatcher, an impassioned plea that was written by all youth attending the conference.  The plea was simple: Nothing About Us, Without Us.  She received a standing ovation and the youth movement has rapidly moved forward on that momentum for the last four years.

Following the conference on the Surgeon General's Report in 2000, the semi annual System of Care Community (SOCC) Meeting in Atlanta, GA, held a team building, conflict resolution, skills workshop for the youth, youth coordinators, and advocates attending the meeting. During this conference, youth were also presenters on panels during the workshop sessions. This was such a well received and empowering experience that youth wanted to have more youth workshops at all SOC conferences. With the help of the TA Partnership which provides technical assistance to the SOC grantees, the youth began the planning process for the following year's SOCC planning meeting in Puerto Rico which focused on cultural competence. For this conference, the youth were invited for the first time to do a presentation at both the opening and closing plenary sessions of the entire conference. Youth also presented at various workshops with their grant communities, and they facilitated a collaborative workshop on the various youth groups and their activities in their communities.  Youth also expressed a need and did the planning to have their own meeting room throughout the conference, where they could socialize, connect to other youth in the nation, and prepare for their presentations.  With the help of youth and youth coordinators across the nation, they also planned a two-day youth track workshop, where over 20 youth from Puerto Rico and over 25 youth from across the grant communities attended. During these two days, youth learned conflict resolution skills, team building, and how to develop their own personal mission statements and the goals to reach them. One of the most valuable pieces in the workshop was the powerful discussion that the whole group had about the needs of youth in the System of Care across the nation. Youth identified what they needed from Systems of Care and made recommendations for communities and policy makers.

Some of the most important suggestions were:

• Youth involvement in all policy-making and governing bodies
• Access to resources and skills to make youth effective advocates
• Collaboration between youth and family organizations
• Building a mutual relationship between consumers and professionals, with a goal of shared power.
• Hearing and utilizing youth voice
• Developing a youth curriculum for professionals and youth coordinators.
• Developing a national, recipient-run youth organization.
• Coordinating an annual Youth/Young adult conference
• The Request for Federal Applicants should require:
• Youth involvement
• Youth participation in all conferences
• Hiring of a youth coordinator who has been a recipient of services.

YOUTH FORUM IS BROADWAY BOUND
By Claire Mackay, Youth Forum Coordinator
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On March 1st, 2002, 10 members of Youth Forum took an out of this world trip to see Broadways musical "RENT".  All but one of the members who attended had never been to a Broadway show.  So the anticipation before hand was immense.

As a requirement before the show all members attending had to write a poem dealing with an issue that is depicted throughout the musical.  I am very proud to say that all of the poems were full of emotion (see poems).  All were a grand example of the talent that is present in Youth Forum.

When the night came all of the Youth Forum members were dressed to look their best.  Before the theatre we dinned at the famous Planet Hollywood.  The food was good and the décor was the grand example of Planet Hollywood's memorabilia. 

At the theatre the anticipation was incredible.  When the lights went dark and the music started I looked and saw the pure pleasure written across everyone's face.  The musical brought laughter to our faces, and tears to our eyes.  When it was over we waited by the theatre door and got autographs and pictures taken.

The message that "RENT" puts out of measuring your life in love was really understood.  The night was beyond doubt a magical experience for all.  Seeing "RENT" was truly an unforgettable and great success with Youth Forum. 

There is a saying from "RENT" that all in Youth Forum can relate to, it is as followed,

 "It is about being young in New York,
 being brave, and being scared.
 Being in love, and being in trouble.
 Having hope for the day, and faith
 in tomorrow."

By Youth Forum

Wow! Can I say talented?  In April youth Forum put on its first "Ohh Soo Talented" talent show.  The freedom to express ourselves felt great.  There was singing, dancing, acting, poetry and more!  We prepared to dazzle an audience of some very important people.

The guest list was quite extensive.  Myra Alfreds and Carol Hardesty from the Department of Community Mental Health attended.  As well, the director of Family Ties, clinicians and case managers from MHA, and proud family and friends.

The applause brought great pride to all who performed.  Our mural of artwork, poetry, and pictures was given great compliments.  The night was rewarding to all.  I can't wait for the next "Ohh Soo Talented" Youth Forum talent show!

YOUTH FORUM LEADERSHIP TRAINING
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Members of Youth Forum took part in a four week long Youth Leadership training.  It helped us to become better peer leaders and see how each of us has our own strengths and when we work as a team great things can be accomplished.  At the end of the training we were all awarded certificates of completion by the Commissioner of Mental Health, Steven J. Friedman.

YOUTH FORUM MEMBERS RECOGNIZED
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January 21^st, 2202 Lisa Sandbo and Rasheed Ubiles, peer leaders of Youth Forum received a Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Awards.  The award stands for young people whose lives reflect the teachings of Dr. King.

SUMMERTIME FUN WITH YOUTH FORUM
YOUTH FORUM WELCOMES SUMMER
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Well it's July and Youth Forum is preparing for some pretty exciting events this summer.  First off there is the National Schools Out Smoke Out end of June.  This means a day of fun at Playland.  At the end of the month comes our big trip to go camping.  This has been a yearly tradition for Youth Forum that everyone looks forward to.  During the summer there will be trips like kayaking, rock climbing, and picnicking.  And to end it with a bang a trip to Six Flags Great Adventure is planned.  I think it's good to say that nobody will be bored this summer.

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