What we do: We assist the Maryland Children's Cabinet and its member agencies, along with other states, local communities, and programs system and service capacity to improve outcomes for children, youth, and young adults with complex, multi system needs and their families. Examples of our work include:

• Researching best practice approaches within health reform and behavioral health integration for application within State and local planning efforts;
• Facilitating strategic planning processes;
• Analyzing policy, financing, and systems structures;
• Drafting regulations, Medicaid State Plan amendments, requests for proposals, memorandums of understanding, white papers, and grant applications;
• Providing individualized technical assistance, and presenting at local, state, and national conferences; and
• Providing project management, outcome reporting, and sustainability/expansion planning.

Why we do it: Our goal is to assist State and local governments, organizations, and programs in developing and implementing Systems of Care that improve access to appropriate services; utilize evidence-based practices; rely upon data-driven decision-making and continuous quality improvement; reduce the unnecessary use of restrictive and costly services; and improve outcomes for children, youth, and young adults with complex, multi system needs and their families.

How we do it: The staff members in the Policy and Strategic Development Center, along with the other staff and faculty at The Institute and our pool of national consultants and partners, provide support for the incubation of innovative initiatives and technologies at the local and state levels with recent emphasis on behavioral health system redesign and health reform implementation. Since 2008, we have authored numerous successful federal grant proposals that have brought over $55 million into the State of Maryland to improve Systems of Care for children, youth, and young adults with complex needs and their families. The staff members in the Policy and Strategic Development Center also assist state and county agencies by providing project management for several federally funded grants. Other examples of work that has been produced or in production include draft Medicaid State Plan Amendments, regulations, Memorandums of Understanding, briefing documents, strategic plans, white papers, presentations.