How did the Children’s Services Act get started?
In 1989, the General Assembly became concerned because the cost of providing residential treatment to high-risk youth was increasing at approximately 22% each year. Because of this, a study of children in residential care was conducted. A total of 14,000 from 4 different state agencies were examined. Subsequent analysis showed that services were provided to only 4,993 individual children. In addition, 9 out of 10 of these children returned to their home communities where necessary changes in the child's community environment had not been made. The progress achieved in the residential facility was often lost.

At that point, it was decided that high-quality, less-restrictive, community-based services would be provided to these children if the funds were managed at the local level.

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1. What is the Children’s Services Act (CSA) for at-risk youth and families?
2. How did the Children’s Services Act get started?
3. Who manages the money at the local level?
4. Who participates on the local teams?
5. Which children may be served by the teams?
6. Are these the only children who may be served?
7. How do children and families access the teams?