Other Resources for Fiscal Solutions

Many other organizations are doing excellent work on financing strategies. Some of the work is focused on broad, systemic change while other work will be helpful for an individual organization to improve their financing practices. A short list of some of the highest quality resources are listed below.

Colorado LINKS for Mental Health: Repository for Systems Transformation
The ReST website contains resources for your community or state agency to undertake cross-system transformation efforts on behalf of children, youth, and their families and communities. It is a well organized database of the best tips, tools, and workbooks for systems transformation, covering a wide range of topics that include: best practices, collaboration and planning, collecting community data, community engagement, facilitation, diversity, disparities, evaluation, family and youth engagement, information sharing, policy and funding, and systems transformation models.

National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health: Financing Systems of Care
The implementation and sustainability of systems of care depend on the availability of viable, long-term financing that supports the infrastructure, services and supports that comprise systems of care. The National Technical Assistance Center, along with other partner organizations, conducted a recent national study of effective financing practices for systems of care. Based on site visits to states, tribes, and communities, two user-friendly guides were produced from the study and are available for policymakers:

A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide: Developing a Comprehensive Financing Plan that is designed to assist service systems (states, tribes, territories, regions, counties, cities, communities, or organizations) to develop and implement comprehensive and strategic financing plans for systems of care.
Financing Behavioral Health Services and Supports for Children, Youth and Families in the Child Welfare System: A Report of National Survey Findings is a resource compendium providing specific examples of financing strategies that have been successfully implemented in states, tribes, and communities.

Finance Project: Sustainability Planning Workbook
The Finance Project's Sustainability Planning Workbook helps users clarify their vision, identify key issues in sustaining their work, and develop strategies to achieve their long-term goals. The Workbook is organized into five modules that guide users through a step-by-step process of developing a written sustainability plan. The workbook is organized in a hands-on, easy-to-follow format that help initiative leaders identify specific resources and strategies that are needed to successfully sustain effective programs and services.

Are you interested in more information? Contact Spark Policy Institute: 303-455-1740, ext. 113, info@sparkpolicy.com.