F.A.S.T. FORWARD
New Hampshire has begun to make big strides with a new approach to address the challenges of families with youth who have serious emotional disturbances.
The F.A.S.T. Forward program – Families and Systems Together– is designed to serve children and youth whose needs are not met by traditional service streams and programs, provide support to children, youth, and their families by using a high fidelity Wraparound approach, and adhere to a System of Care model. A System of Care model reflects a spectrum of community-based services and supports for children, youth, and young adults with, or at risk for, mental health and related challenges, and their families. The System of Care is organized into a coordinated network, builds meaningful partnerships with families and youth, and addresses their cultural and linguistic needs in order to help them function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life.
Many New Hampshire children, youth, and families who experience difficulties in day-to-day life due to serious emotional disturbances end up being moved out of their homes. They are often put into residential treatment facilities, psychiatric hospitals, juvenile justice facilities, or daytime programs that take them out of their schools and communities. Despite the best intentions and hard work of families and providers, services are difficult to navigate and are fragmented into uncoordinated systems.