The Kentucky Partnership for Families and Children, Inc. (KPFC) is a private, not for profit, family organization that serves the entire state of Kentucky. KPFC is the state chapter for the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and is the Center for Mental Health Services Statewide Family Network grantee for Kentucky. Since KPFC is a family-organization, over 51% of KPFC’s board of directors must be parents/primary caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral, and/or mental health disabilities.

Currently KPFC has two advisory councils:

Ø The Delegate Advisory Council consists of parent leaders from around the state that act as liaisons between KPFC as the state-level parent voice and parent voice, concerns, and needs at the community-level. These delegates partner with KPFC to create a “family-driven” System of Care in their home communities and across the state.

Ø KPFC’s Youth Advisory Council referred to as KPFC’s statewide “Youth Council” consists of up to fifteen-members between the ages of 14 and 24 that have emotional, behavioral, and/or mental health challenges. These youth leaders work to decrease the stigma related to children’s mental health disabilities and strive to create a statewide “youth-driven” System of Care.

Ø KPFC’s Early Childhood Advisory Council consists of Early Childhood Mental Health Specialists, early childhood experts, psychiatrists, childcare providers, early childhood family liaisons, parents and others interested in the social-emotional development of children birth to five years old. Based on guidance from this council, KPFC provides support to families that have young children with social-emotional delays and helps them negotiate the systems that serve children birth to five. KPFC’s Early Childhood Advisory Council is also working to build collaboration amongst providers, parents, and individuals across the state who are concerned with the mental health needs of infants, young children, and their families so that services are inclusive, seamless, and of high quality through education (increased knowledge), information dissemination and increased awareness.

To check out our current newsletter click here: www.kypartnership.com/current_newsletter