All committees are open to the public; interested members are encouraged to attend. Call the Circle Around Families office at 392-3310 for upcoming meeting information.

Collaborative Consortium
Consortium is a twice-monthly meeting where all stakeholders, including parents, are welcome to attend. At this meeting each chairperson shares the successes, challenges and related information to other members connected to Circle Around Families.

The Consortium is designed to be an oversight committee to provide a "checks-and-balances" process that compares and adjusts, if necessary, each workgroup's efforts.

Management Workgroup
This group represents lead parents, parent representatives and leaders from all the agency stakeholders. Operational issues are brought to the table at this workgroup.

Evaluation Workgroup
The primary goal of the evaluation workgroup is to provide an avenue for parents, caregivers and agency stakeholders to receive and give feedback about the Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study and the Child and Families Outcome Study.

Secondary goals are to facilitate the identification of local System of Care (SOC) measures. Facilitate and coordinate the tools to collect those measures.

Additional goals include:

• Distribution of national data
• Research about specific mental health topics
• Addressing Local Systemic Issues
• Work with CMHS technical assistants to develop a plan called a Framework For Change. The plan is intended to address SOC development issues from three perspectives: direct service provision, management and policy levels.

While developing an information gathering process the workgroup has several objectives. Those are:

• Keep the process family friendly
• Collect data required by state agencies
• Maintain the privacy and respect of the clients
• Insure the information collected is relevant to the development of a system of care

Budgeting and Financial reporting is also undertaken at this workgroup.

The Fiscal Workgroup develops Memorandum of Understandings (MOU's) with stakeholder agencies, traditional and non-traditional service providers.

Members on this workgroup also work with the Administrative Service Organization (ASO), Geminus Corporation, and their database that retains financial information about service costs and utilization.

Parent Involvement
Parent Involvement Workgroup provides an opportunity to increase families' active participation of in every aspect of grant operations.

Policy & Procedure
This workgroup strives to document the way in which wraparound services are to be delivered in way that is consistent with the Circle Around Families guiding principals. Other topics addressed by the Policy & Procedure Workgroup are governing issues and other operating administrative methods.

Technical Assistance Workgroup
Implement and coordinate training for families, parents, youth, and staff. Set timelines and training goals. Coordinate with national mentors.

Wraparound Process Workgroup
This workgroup principally supports Case Coordinators and Family Support Specialists to serve families in ways that are productive and consistent with wraparound philosophies. Success stories and challenging cases are discussed to keep staff members motivated and to brainstorm to provide alternative services or alternative methods to reach family goals.