When families are engaged in their children's care--including being provided with the support necessary to allow meaningful participation--health care systems improve, the quality of care improves, and children and families are better served. This brief examines how families are currently engaged in the California Children's Services (CCS) program and provides suggestions for how family roles could be enhanced. Between May 2016 and June 2017, with support from the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health (LPFCH), an online survey on family engagement was sent to county CCS program administrators. Results from the 21 counties that will soon transition children to Medi-Cal managed care are analyzed in this brief. Fifteen of the 21 counties seek input from families, primarily through satisfaction surveys (n=12). Four counties have Family Advisory Committees. The most common barrier to family engagement identified by respondents was budget limitations (n=11). The most common benefit reported was increased awareness and understanding of family issues and needs (n=8). Just 5 counties assessed their family engagement efforts as good or very good. With enhanced family engagement efforts and better support to families, county CCS programs and Medi-Cal managed care plans that are assuming care for children enrolled in CCS can benefit from the results of meaningful family participation.
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