Complex Needs Planning | Department of Human Services | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Children and Families Complex Needs Planning
Complex Needs Planning for Children and Youth Through Age 21
The Department of Human Services (DHS) seeks to provide a comprehensive approach to serving children, youth, and young adults — birth through 21 years of age — through programs that focus on early intervention, long-term prevention, and services that support family stability, safety, community protection and the child/youth's healthy development and permanent connections.
In order to meet the needs of children, youth, and families with complex challenges, clear structures are necessary at the county, regional and state levels so that resources, expertise and collaboration can be maximized.
A comprehensive and effective system of care recognizes that children and youth with social, emotional, behavioral, and/or physical health needs often require services from more than one child-serving system. Effective planning takes into account the strengths of the child and family, the multitude of needs, and engages the various human service agencies responsible for assisting the child and family.
What Population is Served?
Understanding that each youth with complex needs and their families are unique, there are several characteristics that can help identify them. The following are the most frequently encountered characteristics of youth with complex needs; often, the combinations and acuity of these characteristics vary significantly:
Complex trauma including abuse, neglect, developmental and institutional trauma;
Multiple and complex diagnoses across the developmental, physical, behavioral and /or mental health domains;
Complex communication needs;
Inconsistent presentation of behaviors and symptoms across settings;
Diagnostic overshadowing due to an intellectual disability and/or autism diagnosis;
Lack of diagnostic clarity;
Disrupted education;
Limited, strained, or no natural supports;
Multiple system involvement, including justice systems; or
An extensive history of out-of-home care, including multiple disrupted placements.
When considering a specific youth, not all of the characteristics listed above are required, though it is often a combination of several and sometimes all of these characteristics. Additionally, a youth may not have emergent acuity but could still be considered as having complex needs.
Services, Planning, and Youth / Family Engagement
Services should be planned to meet the individual needs of the youth and the family and/or caregiver(s). These services should be developmentally appropriate and child specific, they should consider the youth’s family and community structure, build on the strengths of the youth and family and/or caregiver(s) to meet the developmental, social, cultural, physical and behavioral health needs of the child. Representatives from all child-serving systems should collaborate with the family and/or caregiver(s) and involve the youth as much as developmentally appropriate when defining goals for the youth, developing a service plan, developing the necessary resources to implement the plan, providing appropriate support to the youth and family and/or caregiver(s), and evaluating progress. Service planning is not a static activity, rather, it is an ongoing process as needs, goals, and circumstances change.
Complex Needs Planning & Referral Process
Complex needs planning is a multi-agency effort spanning multiple child-serving systems and multiple disciplines, all of which requires significant coordination, communication, and shared goals. County planning teams often experience many different challenges in their efforts to support youth with complex needs and their families.
To effectively and efficiently support county planning teams, the Department established a referral process for counties to request technical assistance from the DHS Complex Needs Planning Team. The Department’s technical assistance includes guidance related to licensed settings, funding, clinical and medical resources, and successful strategies from other counties and regions in the Commonwealth.
To learn more about the Complex Needs Planning Referral Process or to submit a referral, please read the Complex Needs Planning Bulletin.
Find additional complex needs planning resources.
Complex Needs Planning Resources
Complex Needs Planning Bulletin
Submit a Complex Needs Planning Referral
Complex Needs Planning Suggested Resources Appendix
Complex Behavioral Health Resources
Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (PCBI)
Blueprint Workgroup for Youth with Complex Needs
Related Resources
Mental Health in PA
Early Intervention Services
Integrated Children's Services
Juvenile Justice Services
Youth Development Centers/Youth Forestry Camp System
Keep Kids Safe
Office of Developmental Programs Resources (MyODP)
Contact
Have feedback or questions? Please email
RA-PWCMPLXCASEREFS@pa.gov
US