Youth and Family System of Care Enhancement

The purpose of this request for information is to gather information on innovative approaches to increase support for mental health family support projects and/or employment projects operated by recipients of mental health services statewide in alignment with Wis. Stat. § 46.54. Approaches in alignment with Wis. Stat. § 46.54 should infuse wraparound process and values as well as holistic family support, treatment, and interventions into all aspects of care provision.

Information received through this request for information will assist the Division of Care and Treatment Services in finalizing the scope of work and/or requirements that may be used at a future date in the issuance of a funding opportunity.

Submitting a response to this request for information is not a guarantee in any way that an organization will be selected for any subsequent award.

Submitting a response to this request for information does not preclude any organization from responding to future procurement opportunities.

Background

Funding opportunities aligned with Wis. Stat. § 46.54 historically have supported the integration of parent peer services to enhance the care provision experience for youth and families. However, certified peer specialists and certified parent peer specialists are Medicaid reimbursable services. Peer recovery coaches also are now Medicaid reimbursable services. While peer services are more accessible, gaps in care persist. The children’s system of care remains fragmented in many parts of the state, creating a burden on the family unit to coordinate care and navigate service delivery systems. Focus on the family system, versus the individual, supports and strengthens the whole family thereby cultivating collective benefits. The infusion of wraparound philosophy and process aims to maximize return on investment through the inclusion of natural supports; coordination of resources and interventions; and strengths- and needs-based planning that promotes system change. Person-driven care increases engagement. Holistic care can address intergenerational cycles of risk, adversity, and system involvement. Both are essential to the development of effective family serving systems of care.

According to the Office of Children's Mental Health 2025 Annual Report (PDF), 60% of Wisconsin children with a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, or behavioral challenges had difficulty getting necessary treatment.

According to the 2025 Wisconsin Mental Health and Substance Use Needs Assessment (PDF) published by DHS, “Wisconsin’s prevalence rates for substance use disorders, including alcohol use are slightly higher than the national average across all age groups and ethnicities.” These findings indicate an opportunity to address substance use disorders within the family structure through enhanced care provision for the family as a unit, fostering the interruption of intergenerational cycles of substance use challenges.

According to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Mental Health Data Summary (PDF) published by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 59% of high school students report experiencing at least one mental health challenge within the past year and only one in five students received the help they needed most or all of the time. Additionally, rates of anxiety (51.6% of students), depression (35% of students) and thoughts of suicide (18.6% of students) have increased. Related to what helps, the report further indicated that “feelings of belonging at school, being able to talk with family members and school staff about feelings and worries and having supportive adults at home and in school are keys.” A strong, informed, and supported family system can serve to aid in early identification and intervention to help prevent deepening system involvement, substance use, and numerous other outcomes of unaddressed mental health challenges or lack of effective support systems.

Family engagement in behavioral health care enhances outcomes. According to the Family Engagement and Support in Youth Mental Health Care: An Implementation Guide for Care Providers (PDF) published by Youth Move National and Be Strong Families, “engaging families in youth mental health recovery involves inviting active participation in the treatment process, recognizing their unique perspectives, and building a supportive recovery-oriented environment. Family involvement ensures the recovery journey is collaborative, with both youth and families contributing to positive outcomes while having voice and choice throughout.”

Request for information on family-centered supports

To increase support for mental health family support projects and/or employment projects operated by recipients of mental health services statewide, the Division of Care and Treatment Services is using this request for information to gather input and feedback on increasing family-centered supports and treatment that provides holistic, integrated care in the following areas:

• Mental health and substance use services
• Employment and education
• Mental health crisis intervention, with a focus on:
  • Strengthening family relationships
  • Increasing family knowledge and skills to reduce and prevent crisis
  • Improving understanding mental health symptomology and substance use
• Parent and peer supports that integrate youth, young adult and/or parent lived experience into:
  • Programming
  • Quality improvement
  • Policy and procedures
• Expansion of family-focused interventions, promising practices, and evidence-based practices including but not limited to Family Centered Treatment; Multidimensional Family Therapy; Lifespan Approach; Parent Child Interaction Therapy; or Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment
• Addressing gaps in the continuum of care by enhancing access and availability of services.

This request for information pertains to only a portion of the total funds allocated in Wis. Stat. § 46.54. Responses must provide an overview of estimated costs to achieve the proposed system of care solution design. This could include estimated costs for salaries, operations, space, supplies, workforce development, etc. A few sentences is sufficient for this part of the response.

Response guidelines

Responses can address one, some, or all the areas noted in the request for input and feedback on family-centered support section. Specify the area(s) of focus for the response in the response.

Responses must:

• Use a narrative format.
• Be two pages or less, not including the estimated costs/budget.
• Have a statewide impact.
• Be based on an annual budget of no more than $339,000.
• Infuse the wraparound process and values as well as holistic family support, treatment, and interventions into all aspects of care provision.

Deadline for responses

June 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Response submission

A completed a response includes the narrative that meets the requirements in the response guidelines section and the:

• Agency name.
• Agency location.
• Name, email, phone number of the agency's contact person.

Send completed responses to the Division of Care and Treatment Services at dhswebmaildcts@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

Confidential information

All responses to this request for information shall remain confidential in accordance with the State Procurement Manual Policy PRO-105 and closed to an open records request until the confidential timeframe of this request for information has passed. Whether or not a solicitation is pursued by DHS as a result of the request for information, all records will become available at the close of this confidential timeframe.

Any information provided is subject to change and is not binding on DHS to procure any of the services discussed. Release of this request for information should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought.

This request for information is for planning and information gathering purposes only. Submission does not constitute a commitment by DHS to fund any proposed activity.

DHS will not be liable for any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and submission of information in response to this request for information.

Questions about the request for information should be submitted to Alex Cammilleri at alexandraa.cammilleri@dhs.wisconsin.gov