MISSION STATEMENT
To cultivate a robust support network ensuring every young person and family in Alachua County has access to the resources they need to thrive – to be safe, healthy, educated, and prepared for future careers.
What is the Alachua Cares Program?
The Alachua Cares Program, officially known as the System of Care (SOC), is an initiative spearheaded by the Alachua County Public Schools District. Recognizing the intricate challenges faced by families today, Alachua Cares operates through dedicated IMPACT TEAMS. These teams are composed of highly qualified master’s level social workers and mental health counselors strategically placed within schools that serve communities with significant needs. Their core mission is to deliver intensive mental health counseling and comprehensive wrap-around social services directly to students and their families.
At the heart of the Alachua Cares Program is a powerful network. This network unites over 125 public and private agencies, all collaborating to provide a seamless web of support. This collaborative approach is designed to address the multifaceted needs of families facing complex situations. The program prioritizes keeping families connected and ensuring children can remain supported within their own community. Crucially, the Alachua Cares Program is family-driven. This means that the family and their chosen support team are central to the process, guiding the services and ensuring that interventions are tailored to achieve genuinely positive outcomes for everyone involved.
Understanding the interconnectedness of a child’s world is fundamental to the Alachua Cares approach. Children and families frequently interact with numerous systems – from education and healthcare to legal and law enforcement. Therefore, effective collaboration across these diverse systems is not just beneficial, but essential to fostering positive change and long-term success for children.
The Alachua Cares Program builds upon Alachua County’s long-standing tradition of community collaboration. It represents a proactive effort to develop targeted interventions for vulnerable youth and to offer constructive alternatives to juvenile court referrals, aiming to support and guide young people towards a brighter future.
How Does the Alachua Cares Program Work?
The process begins when a school identifies a student who could benefit from the Alachua Cares Program. Following identification, the school takes a crucial first step: obtaining informed consent from the student’s parents or guardians. Once consent is secured, a formal referral is completed by the school, connecting eligible students to the comprehensive support network of the Alachua Cares Program.
Working Together for Families:
The Alachua Cares Program embodies a collaborative spirit, emphasizing partnership between families, schools, and the wider community. Together, the Alachua Cares team works to:
- Understand Your Child’s Needs: The program prioritizes understanding each child’s unique circumstances and challenges to pave the way for their success, both academically and personally.
- Support Family Well-being: Recognizing that a child’s well-being is deeply connected to their family environment, Alachua Cares extends support to family members, helping them navigate everyday stresses and build resilience.
- Provide “Wraparound” Support: Alachua Cares utilizes a “wraparound” approach. This means creating a holistic and integrated support system where services are carefully coordinated and “wrapped around” the child and family, addressing their needs comprehensively.
- Develop Creative, Strengths-Based Solutions: The program believes in the inherent strengths within each family and community. Alachua Cares teams work collaboratively with families to develop creative solutions that are culturally sensitive and tailored to the specific resources available within their neighborhood and the broader SOC network.
Who are the Key Partners in Alachua Cares?
The Alachua Cares Program is a community-wide effort, bringing together key stakeholders:
- Families and Children: At the center of the program are the children and their parents or guardians – the individuals directly benefiting from Alachua Cares.
- Dedicated School Staff: Selected pilot schools play a vital role, with committed staff members working closely with the Alachua Cares Program to identify and support students.
- System of Care Team: The backbone of the initiative is the dedicated System of Care team, acting as the central coordinating agency to ensure smooth operation and effective service delivery.
- Social and Health Services: A wide array of social and health service agencies partner with Alachua Cares, contributing their expertise and resources to provide comprehensive support.
Goals of the Alachua Cares Program:
The Alachua Cares Program is driven by a clear set of goals, all aimed at enhancing the well-being of Alachua County’s youth and families:
- Provide High-Quality Services: To deliver exceptional, child-centered, family-focused, cost-effective, and community-based services to at-risk youth and their families.
- Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Treatment: To thoroughly assess the needs of at-risk students and provide appropriate interventions and treatment plans tailored to their specific challenges.
- Empower School Personnel: To equip school staff with the knowledge and skills to effectively support students’ mental health and well-being through targeted training programs.
- Improve School Environment: To foster positive classroom behavior and reduce suspension rates, creating a more supportive and conducive learning environment for all students.
- Boost Academic Success: To increase academic achievement and improve overall graduation rates, empowering students to reach their full educational potential.
- Promote Positive Student Engagement: To increase the use of positive student engagement strategies by School Resource Officers and Deputies, building trust and positive relationships between law enforcement and students.
- Reduce Juvenile Arrests: To contribute to a decrease in juvenile arrests by providing early intervention and support services that address the root causes of at-risk behavior.
Ultimately, the Alachua Cares Program is about empowerment. It’s about equipping children and families with the skills and knowledge to effectively utilize both informal support networks – like family and friends – and formal community resources to navigate challenges and build a successful future.
