Terminology

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase that is used to represent the whole. Acronyms are formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or series of words that are pronounced like a word. The abbreviations and acronyms used in the YES system of care are listed below.

The term “agency” usually refers to any local, county, or state government entity. Examples include the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the Division of Behavioral Health, Medicaid, and Family and Community Services, the Idaho Department of Education, and the Department of Juvenile Corrections.

The term agency may also refer to an entity that consists of numerous mental health providers.

The CANS Screener is a tool based on the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) that can help non-mental health providers identify unmet mental health needs so they may link families to resources for further assessment and treatment.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services that works in partnership with states to administer the Medicaid program. Rules put into effect by CMS must be followed by state Medicaid programs.

See Family Support Partners below.

The checklist is a short list of CANS-based questions designed to help parents and caregivers determine if their child may benefit from a full mental health assessment. There are currently two checklists, the Youth Mental Health Checklist for Families and the Mental Health Checklist for Youth.

The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) is a tool used in Idaho to identify a child’s strengths and needs (including functional impairment). The CANS is an approved tool in Idaho that will be used throughout care to assist in treatment planning, and monitor the outcomes of services.

The CANS uses the family’s story to recognize strengths that can help them during treatment, as well as needs that may require intervention.

The Child and Family Team (CFT) uses the information gathered by the CANS to identify appropriate services and supports for the youth’s coordinated care plan and then uses updates to the CANS to monitor progress towards goals.

More information about the CANS can be found at the Praed Foundation website.

The Child and Family Team (CFT) is a group of caring and invested individuals who are invited by the child and family to work together to support their child through a teaming approach. Members of the CFT include the child and family and the mental health provider, but may also include extended family, friends, individuals from child-serving agencies, and community members.

The CFT uses the different perspectives of the individual members to create a more informed and collaborative coordinated care plan for the child and family. The child and family are active participants of the CFT, and their goals, concerns, and perspectives inform all decisions. Members of the CFT may change over time as the needs and goals on the coordinated care plan change.

The CFT uses the information gathered by the CANS to identify goals and then recommend appropriate services and supports to help children and families reach those goals.

The Division of Child, Youth, and Family Services (CYFS) is part of the Department of Health and Welfare and is responsible for many social service programs such as child protection, adoption, foster care, developmental disabilities, and early intervention services for infants and toddlers.

Children’s Medicaid is the term used to reference all types of Medicaid access for children in Idaho.

The Children’s Mental Health (CMH) team is a part of the Division of Behavioral Health. CMH collaborates with Medicaid and the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan (IBHP) Governance Bureau, the Centers of Excellence (COE) Bureau, and various stakeholders to oversee the design and implementation of the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) system of care. CMH’s core objective is to enhance the treatment and support provided to children and youth who are at risk for or have serious emotional disturbance (SED).

A comprehensive diagnostic assessment (CDA), sometimes called a mental health assessment, is a process where a licensed clinician reviews the history of the person seeking care and identifies a mental health diagnosis, if applicable.  Historical and current clinical information is gathered through a clinical interview and from other available resources to identify the child’s mental health issues, the child’s strengths, the family’s strengths and the service needs. The results are recorded and include the child’s background information, the results of a mental status exam, and the diagnosis.

The completed assessment is used to inform treatment planning for providers and may be used by the Child and Family Team (CFT) during their planning process.

The CANS is not part of a mental health assessment, but may be completed by the same provider.

A continuum of care is a range of services and supports that extend from the least intrusive (examples may include counseling or medication management) to the most restrictive (examples may include hospitalization or residential treatment programs). This range of services is intended to provide support for each phase of treatment from identification and diagnosis to the participant’s transition out of the system.

The coordinated care plan is the result of the Child and Family Team (CFT) coordinating care from all providers involved in treatment and may take many forms. The coordinated care plan recognizes the strengths and needs identified by the CANS tool and determines the formal and informal services and supports that will help the youth and family reach their goals. The goals in the coordinated care plan are measurable, assess change (not compliance), and encourage the youth and family to work towards wellness and self-sufficiency.

The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) is tasked with promoting and protecting the health and safety of Idaho residents. They have multiple divisions, many of which work with children and their families. The Department of Health and Welfare is designated as the State Behavioral Health Authority under Idaho Statute Section 39-3123.

The Department of Juvenile Corrections (IDJC) is responsible for youth ages 10 to 21 who are committed to their custody by the Idaho court system. IDJC operates juvenile corrections centers in Lewiston, Nampa, and St. Anthony, allowing most juveniles to remain close to their families and communities. They provide fully accredited school programs and strengths-based mental health services to meet needs identified by comprehensive assessments and treatment plans.

Most youth receive services at the county level. Detention centers and probation programs are both administered by the counties. There is a strong partnership between the juvenile court system, the counties, and IDJC. IDJC has funding to assist the courts and counties to keep young people in communities with their families and friends.

The Developmental Disabilities (DD) program is administered by the Division of Medicaid under the Department of Health and Welfare and serves Medicaid-eligible children with developmental disabilities through home and community-based services (HCBS).

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, frequently called “the DSM,” is the handbook used by healthcare providers to diagnose mental health disorders.

The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) is a part of the Department of Health and Welfare and is the behavioral health authority for the state.

Domains are areas that are critical to the growth and development of a child and success of a family. On the CANS, items are grouped into domains such as Strengths, Behavioral and Emotional Needs, and Functioning.

The CANS uses domains as categories that capture and document information needed to help a child and family inform treatment planning.

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) is a federally required component of Medicaid for children under the age of 21. States are required to provide Medicaid-eligible children any additional healthcare services that are covered under federal Medicaid regulations and found to be medically necessary, even if that service is not covered in the State plan. EPSDT includes screening, vision, dental, hearing, and other necessary healthcare services, diagnostic services, treatment, and other measures to correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental health conditions.

More details about EPSDT can be found in “EPSDT – A Guide for States“ and in 42 CFR 441.50-62 and in the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act (IDAPA) rules at 16.03.01 Sections 10-11.

Information about EPSDT in Idaho, including the EPSDT Request Form, can be found on the Department of Health and Welfare website.

A Family Support Partner has lived experience raising a child with mental illness, navigating multiple child-serving systems, and assisting the child in developing the resiliency needed for recovery. Family Support Partners have specialized training and provide support while offering hope to families in similar situations.

The federal poverty guidelines are established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). They are used nationally to determine eligibility for income-based programs such as Medicaid. The federal poverty guidelines were previously called the federal poverty level (FPL).

A formal support is usually a trained professional providing a service. Examples include doctors, therapists, and behavioral aides.

Home and community-based services (HCBS) are delivered to Medicaid participants in their own home or community rather than in institutions or other out-of-home placements. HCBS programs serve people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, or mental illnesses.

he Idaho Behavioral Health Plan (IBHP) is the framework for how behavioral health services for conditions such as mental health and substance use disorders are administered in Idaho as discussed in the Idaho Implementation Plan. The new IBHP contract is structured differently than the previous one because a managed care organization, Magellan Healthcare, will manage behavioral health services for the Divisions of Behavioral Health and Medicaid. Magellan will also manage the provider network for the Department of Juvenile Corrections. Magellan will oversee behavioral health services for Idahoans who have Medicaid, other types of insurance, and who don’t have insurance. Because outpatient behavioral health services will be included in the plan, the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) will no longer offer outpatient behavioral health services.

The Idaho Department of Education is a state level agency that supports local schools and students. They are responsible for implementing policies, distributing funds, administering statewide assessments, licensing educators, and providing accountability data. The IDE is committed to providing leadership, expertise, research and technical assistance to school districts and schools to promote the academic success of all students.

The Special Education Department is one of many departments located within the IDE, and is responsible for ensuring that school districts are compliant with special education and federal program regulations.

An Independent Assessor works for an agency contracted by Medicaid to conduct a Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment (CDA) and a Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) functional assessment to determine if the youth has serious emotional disturbance (SED). If so, they may qualify for Medicaid’s YES Program which has higher income limits than traditional Medicaid and allows youth to access Medicaid-paid respite services.

An individualized treatment plan is created by each of a child’s providers to address the goals that were identified in the coordinated care plan created by the Child and Family Team (CFT).

An individualized treatment plan identifies:

1. Specific services or supports being offered by that provider.
2. The strength being applied or built, or the need being addressed.
3. Measurable goals as identified in the coordinated care plan created by the CFT.

Informal supports, sometimes referred to as natural supports, are people who are part of a family’s community and social network. Examples of informal supports include extended family members, neighbors, colleagues, sports coaches, or religious leaders. These individuals support the child and family without payment.

Intensive Care Coordination is case management for youth whose CANS score indicates they need a high level of care, or who are transitioning home from an out-of-home placement such as therapeutic foster care, an acute psychiatric hospital, or a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF). ICC may also be appropriate when intervention is needed to keep a child from being moved to an out-of-home placement.

ICC includes both assessment of service needs and service planning utilizing a facilitated Child and Family Team process that is consistent with the Principles of Care and Practice Model.

Some families may choose to utilize the Wraparound model to provide ICC, but all intensive care coordinators will work with the child and family to coordinate care, create transition plans, and monitor progress towards goals.

The Department of Juvenile Corrections (IDJC) provides ICC to youth in their care under a model unique to their mission.

The level of care is the amount and intensity of services and supports needed to address identified needs.

For services and supports offered through the Idaho Behavioral Health Plan, review the level of care guidelines and/or provider manual for the current Idaho Behavioral Health Plan managed care organization.

Medicaid is a federal program administered by the states, with a percentage of the benefits funded by federal dollars.

In Idaho, the Division of Medicaid is part of the Department of Health and Welfare and is responsible for administering the Idaho Medicaid State Plan, which increases access to medical care for children, low-income families, and disabled residents.

A mental health assessment, sometimes called a comprehensive diagnostic assessment (CDA), is a process where a licensed clinician reviews the history of the person seeking care and identifies a mental health diagnosis, if applicable. Historical and current clinical information is gathered through a clinical interview and from other available resources to identify the child’s mental health issues, the child’s strengths, the family’s strengths, and the service needs. The results are recorded and include the child’s background information, the results of a mental status exam, and the diagnosis.

The completed assessment is used to inform treatment planning for the provider and may be used by the Child and Family Team (CFT) during their planning process.

The CANS is not part of a mental health assessment, but may be completed by the same provider.

Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) is the amount of income used to identify eligibility for income-based programs such as Medicaid. MAGI is calculated by starting with the full household income (gross income) and subtracting certain allowable deductions.

See Informal Supports above.

A need is an area that your child or family requires help with to reach identified goals.

Person-Centered Intelligence Solution (P-CIS, pronounced “pieces”) is a patient outcomes management platform. To learn more, please visit https://magellanofidaho.com/web/magellan-of-idaho/w/outcomes-and-assessments.

A person-centered service plan, is required for participants to access Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). If your child does not qualify for Medicaid under traditional income limits, and was eligible for Medicaid only after meeting with the independent assessor, or you access respite, you will need a PCSP.

The PCSP includes information about the child, including their preferences, their strengths and needs as identified in the CANS, and their goals.

The PCSP also includes a list of all of the formal and informal services and supports needed to achieve the identified goals, whether or not they are reimbursable by Medicaid. Care is taken to make sure there is no duplication of services delivered through other agencies or programs.

The Practice Manual is a document that provides details about Youth Empowerment Services (YES) to both families and providers. It contains information about:

• Access to YES and YES Services and Supports
• Principles of Care
• Practice Model
• Definitions
• System of Care
• Identification, Referral, Screening, and Assessment
• Child and Family Teams (CFT)
• Coordinated Care Plans
• Services and Supports
• Billing and Reporting Requirements
• Decision Making Criteria
• Appeals Process

Guide to YES: A Practice Manual

The Practice Model describes the six key components to provide care in the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) System of Care.

The six components are:

• Engagement—actively involving youth and their families in the creation and implementation of their coordinated care plan.
• Assessment—gathering and evaluating information to create a coordinated care plan.
• Care planning and implementation —identifying and providing appropriate services and supports in a coordinated care plan.
• Teaming—collaborating with children, their families, providers, and community partners to create a coordinated care plan.
• Monitoring and adapting—evaluating and updating the services and supports in the coordinated care plan.
• Transition—altering levels of care and support in the coordinated care plan.

A primary care physician is a doctor who is trained to be your first point of contact for an undiagnosed condition and is able to provide continuing care for various medical issues.

The Principles of Care are 11 values that are applied in all areas of Youth Empowerment Services (YES). The 11 principles are:

• Family-centered—emphasizes each family’s strengths and resources.
• Family and youth voice and choice—prioritizes the preferences of youth and their families in all stages of care.
• Strengths-based—identifies and builds on strengths to improve functioning.
• Individualized care—customizes care specifically for each youth and family.
• Team-based—brings families together with professionals and others to create a coordinated care plan.
• Community-based service array—provides local services to help families reach the goals identified in their coordinated care plan.
• Collaboration—brings families, informal supports, providers, and agencies together to meet identified goals.
• Unconditional—commits to achieving the goals of the coordinated care plan.
• Culturally competent—considers the family’s unique needs and preferences.
• Early identification and intervention–assesses mental health and provides access to services and supports.
• Outcome-based—contains measurable goals to assess change.

A provider is a person or agency that directly delivers a service or support to a child or family. Providers are frequently referred to as formal supports and are usually paid for their service.

Respite care is short-term or temporary care for a child/youth with SED provided in the least restrictive environment that provides relief for the usual caretaker and is aimed at de-escalation of stressful situations.

Respite may be provided on an individual level or in a group setting. Medicaid reimbursed respite may be provided by a credentialed behavioral health agency in the participant’s home, another private residence, at the agency’s facility, or in community locations that are not institutional in nature, such as parks, malls, stores, and other activity centers. For more information about Medicaid Respite, contact Magellan Healthcare at 1-855-202-0973, or e-mail magellanidmfam@magellanhealth.com,

Vouchered Respite provides up to two $600 vouchers per year to parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of youth with serious emotional disturbance (SED). These vouchers help give the primary caregivers time to decompress and tend to other matters with the peace of mind that their child is being cared for by someone they know and trust. “For more information or to apply for Vouchered Respite Care, please visit https://idahorespitecare.com or call BPA Health at 1-866-617-3126.

The terms “safety plan” and “crisis plan” are frequently used interchangeably, but these plans have two separate functions. A safety plan is created to address acute risk of harm to self and others and explains the steps used to keep the child and family safe during a crisis. A crisis plan is created to address ongoing challenges due to the mental health of your child, and details the triggers that can lead to a future crisis and how to avoid or manage them.

Both plans created by individual providers with the family, or by the full Child and Family Team (CFT).

A screening is a method of determining if a child may need to access mental health services. A CANS-based screening tool has been created for use by doctors and other medical professionals to determine whether there is a need to refer for a full mental health assessment.

Serious emotional disturbance is a term used when children under the age of 18 who have both a mental health diagnosis from the DSM and a functional impairment as identified by the CANS.

A functional impairment limits a child’s ability to participate socially, academically, and emotionally at home, at school, or in the community. The legal definition of SED is found in Section 16-2403, Item 15 of the Idaho Code.

“Services and supports” is a Medicaid term that identifies the difference between medically necessary services (examples include doctors, dentists, etc.) and functional supports needed to help a child and their family live their lives and access medically necessary services (examples include transportation, respite, etc.).

When a Child and Family Team (CFT) identifies needed services and supports for a child, they do not need to limit themselves to options provided by Medicaid, but can identify any formal and informal services and supports that are appropriate for the child.

When a CFT identifies appropriate services and supports, that does not guarantee that the service or support will be payable by any agency, or is currently available in the community.

The term “stakeholders” refers to people who have an interest in a specific subject. In relation to YES, a stakeholder is a person or group that has an interest in mental healthcare for children. Children, their families, service providers, governmental agencies, and advocacy groups, and the insurance agencies that pay for services are all examples of stakeholders. Other examples include educators, law enforcement, local and state government officials, and private social service organizations.

A strength is a capability, knowledge, skill, or asset that can be used to attain a goal or address a need. Strengths are identified and documented by the CANS tool.

The YES system of care is a spectrum of services and supports for children with or at risk of serious emotional disturbance (SED) and their families that is built on the Principles of Care and Practice Model. The YES system of care creates meaningful partnerships between families, youth, providers and government agencies to address the specific needs of the youth and family in order to help them function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life.

Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management, usually referred to by the acronym TCOM, describes how providers and child serving agencies work with people at every level of a system to improve outcomes for children and their families. The approach focuses on gaining various perspectives on a situation before a decision is made. TCOM recognizes that each participant in the mental health system has a different perspective, focus, and responsibility. These differences can create tension, and tension can make it difficult to focus on obtaining a common objective, specifically the wellness of the child and family in treatment. TCOM creates a system to return all participants back towards a shared vision of addressing needs and building the strengths of children and families. This shared vision helps people at every level of the system work together with families and children.

The CANS tool and Child and Family Team (CFT) are built on the philosophy of TCOM.

More information about TCOM can be found at the Praed Foundation website.

To be eligible to administer the Idaho CANS, providers must be certified.  Recertification is required annually. Providers can register for CANS certification trainings at the Idaho TCOM Institute website.    

Transition is the process of changing levels of service, switching between higher and lower levels of intensity and duration, as the needs of the child and family change. An example of transition is the movement between inpatient hospitalization and community-based services. Transition can also refer to the process of moving between systems, for example, the movement between the juvenile corrections system to the community. In the Wraparound model, transition is the shift away from the formal Wraparound process and towards formal and informal supports in the community. Not all transitions are from higher level services to lower level. Sometimes transitions increase the intensity of services as the needs of the child and family change.

Transition planning identifies when transitions will be needed, and how to switch between levels of services. It also includes a plan to determine when services and supports are no longer needed.

Wraparound Intensive Services is a team-based, family-driven, and youth-guided planning process that is led by guiding principles, has a structured format, and is implemented with facilitated activities. The Wraparound process is used to address complex needs for both families and their children and is successful by creating relationships with a team of involved people to support treatment needs.

Youth Empowerment Services, known by the acronym YES, is the name chosen by Idaho youth for the children’s mental health system of care.

Youth Partners are individuals who have lived experience with mental health concerns and have been trained to participate on Wraparound teams. Their role is to act as an advocate for the child or youth who is currently participating in a Wraparound planning process.

Youth Peer Support Services are non-clinical services provided by an Idaho certified peer support specialist (CPSS) who has completed Idaho Youth Support Training. Services support members aged 12-17 who have a diagnosis of SED, a mental health condition, or co-occurring conditions. Services are delivered in a range of environments that are chosen by the member including the home, community, and/or agency settings. Youth Support Services may be initiated when there is a reasonable likelihood that such services will support the youth member in working toward self-directed recovery, building hope, empowerment, and resilience, and natural supports in the community of their choice. Youth Support Services may be delivered face-to-face or via telehealth and can be offered individually or in group settings.

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a work or phrase that is used to represent the whole. Acronyms are formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase or series of words that are pronounced like a word. The abbreviations and acronyms used in the YES system of care are listed below.

The Access Model, as detailed in Appendix A of the Settlement Agreement, and discussed in Objective 3 in the Idaho Implementation Plan, describes the process for children and youth to access the YES System of Care.

See Due Process below.

Algorithms are problem-solving rules used to arrive at a solution. Algorithms provide a consistent way to help make clinical decisions.

The assessment process, as referenced in Appendices A, B,  and C of the Settlement Agreement, is a series of steps taken to gather information for a mental health diagnosis. In the assessment process defined by the Settlement Agreement, a mental health assessment is administered in conjunction with the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS).

The Behavioral Health Authority Standards of Care, as used in the Idaho Implementation Plan, are the best-practice standards published by the Division of Behavioral Health and used to guide the delivery of behavioral health services. The standards serve as a consistent base for the provision of high-quality behavioral healthcare in Idaho, by providing increased awareness, understanding and utilization of best-practice service and treatment modalities. Careful consideration has been paid to:

1. Evidence-based behavioral health practices.
2. Widely accepted standards of behavioral healthcare.
3. Idaho Administrative Rule (program-specific).
4. State contractual requirements.
5. Current practice.
6. Need throughout the state.
7. Input from community providers, consumers, and stakeholders.

Blended funding, as referenced in the Idaho Implementation Plan, is a method for using multiple funding streams to support a common group of activities on behalf of a defined population in need. Blended funding involves commingling the funds into a single “pot,” out of which program needs can be met. Because funds are co-mingled, there is no means by which the fiscal manager can report which funding stream paid for exactly which expense.

Braided funding, as used in the Idaho Implementation Plan, is a method for using multiple funding streams to support a common group of activities on behalf of a defined population. The term “braided” is used because multiple funding streams are initially separate, are brought together to pay for more than any one stream can reimburse, and then are carefully pulled back apart to report back to fund sources on how the money was spent.

A Class Member, as defined in Appendix A of the Settlement Agreement, is any Idaho resident with serious emotional disturbance who:

1. Is under the age of 18.
2. Has a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM) diagnosable mental health condition, or would have a diagnosable mental health condition if evaluated by a practitioner of the healing arts operating within the scope of his/her practice as identified by Idaho State Law.
3. Has a substantial functional impairment that is measured by and documented through the use of a standardized instrument conducted or supervised by a qualified clinician, or would have been measured and documented had an assessment been conducted.

Due Process is the procedure an agency must take to ensure that a person is not treated in an unfair, unsupported, or unreasonable way. Due Process may include:

• A formal letter with specific information about a decision made by the agency regarding services that have been requested to the participant (also known as a “notice”) and instructions on how to request an appeal.
• An informal resolution.
• A referral to a fair hearing to review decisions the agency made that the participant disagrees with.

Children and youth with SED may appeal decisions when an agency:

• Determines that a child or youth is not a YES participant following an assessment.
• Denies or limits a requested service.
• Reduces, suspends, or terminates a currently authorized service.
• Denies, in whole or in part, payment for a service.

In fair hearings, a person has the ability to:

• Present evidence and witnesses, request and receive evidence, and cross examine witnesses.
• Be represented by another person or an attorney.
• Have an impartial hearing officer and receive findings of facts and the legal basis for the decision such as a regulation or statute, on upon which the fair hearing decision is based.

More information about how the YES project is implementing Due Process can be found in the Idaho Implementation Plan, Objective 5.

See Due Process above.

The IBHP is the framework for how behavioral health services for conditions such as mental health and substance use disorders are administered in Idaho as discussed in the Idaho Implementation Plan. The new IBHP contract is structured differently than the previous one because a managed care organization, Magellan Healthcare, will manage behavioral health services for the Divisions of Behavioral Health and Medicaid. Magellan will also manage the provider network for the Department of Juvenile Corrections. Magellan will oversee behavioral health services for Idahoans who have Medicaid, other types of insurance, and who don’t have insurance. Because outpatient behavioral health services will be included in the plan, the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) will no longer offer outpatient behavioral health services.

The Idaho Implementation Plan was developed as part of the Jeff D. Settlement Agreement as the first step toward developing and implementing sustainable, accessible, comprehensive, and coordinated service delivery of publicly funded, community-based mental health services to children and youth with serious emotional disturbance in Idaho.

The Interagency Governance Team, as detailed in Appendix D of the Settlement Agreement, and discussed in Objective 6 in the Idaho Implementation Plan, collaboratively coordinates the implementation of the Jeff D. Settlement Agreement.

The Jeff D. et al. v. C.L. “Butch” Otter et al. class action lawsuit was filed in 1980 and sought to address two primary issues:

• Mixing adults and juveniles at State Hospital South.
• The provision of community-based mental health and education services to children with serious emotional disturbance.

In an attempt to resolve the suit the State focused on the provision of community-based mental health services. In 2007, the federal district court dismissed the case. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the decision in 2011, reinstating the case. The federal district court advised the parties to engage in a mediation process to arrive at a solution to the suit.

The parties, including parent, provider and advocacy representatives, collaborated from October 2013 to December 2014 to create a Settlement Agreement leading to an improved children’s mental health System of Care (SoC). This new system will be community-based, easily accessed, family-driven, and follow the System of Care, Practice Model, and Principles of Care outlined in the agreement. 

The Settlement Agreement is a contractual agreement between the parties to the Jeff D. class action lawsuit to resolve the underlying dispute. It is a high-level description of what the State has agreed to do in order to have the lawsuit dismissed.

A potential Class Member, as used in the Idaho Implementation Plan and Appendix A of the Settlement Agreement, is any Idaho resident with unmet mental health needs who has not yet reached their 18th birthday and who has not yet been determined to be a Class Member.

The Practice Model, as detailed in Appendix B of the Settlement Agreement, and discussed in Objective 2 in the Idaho Implementation Plan, describes the six key practice components required by the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) System of Care.

The Principles of Care, as detailed in Appendix B of the Settlement Agreement, and discussed in Objective 2 in the Idaho Implementation Plan, are 11 values intended to guide child-serving agencies in delivering services in the YES System of Care.

The Quality Management Improvement and Accountability (QMIA) Council is the entity responsible for quality management, improvement and accountability within the Jeff D. governance structure and is a cross-agency collaborative made up of executive level staff and children’s mental health stakeholders with responsibilities specific to meeting the terms of the Settlement Agreement.

Services and supports, as detailed in Appendix C, and discussed in Objective 1 of the Idaho Implementation Plan, are available to YES participants based on their individual strengths and needs as clinically appropriate.

The Workforce Development Plan, as discussed in Objective 4 in the Idaho Implementation Plan, addresses the current and future demands for increasing the numbers of appropriately trained and certified mental health providers and the infrastructure needed to operate the System of Care.

The YES Communication Plan describes the types of outreach, materials, mediums and methods that the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Project will use to inform participants, their families and associated stakeholders on all aspects of the new System of Care.

The YES Project Plan drives the execution of the work described in the Idaho Implementation Plan; it clarifies the scope of the project, defines tasks, specifies timelines, identifies dependencies, and contains all planning documents for the purposes of tracking and documenting progress on implementation.

The YES Quality Management, Improvement and Accountability Plan, as discussed in Objective 7 in the Idaho Implementation Plan, describes the plan for reporting outcomes, system performance, and progress on the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Project, as well as quality improvement at the clinical, program and system levels.