The Use of Flexible Service Dollars in Rural Community-based Programs for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance and Their Families

Abstract

It is commonly agreed that flexible service dollars are a crucial aspect of tailoring services to meet the unique and changing needs of children with serious emotional disturbance and their families. This is particularly true in isolated rural areas. The need for a common terminology that distinguishes among the philosophy of individualized care, the programmatic components of such systems, and the types of flexible-funding mechanisms that facilitate such approaches are discussed. The uses of flexible service dollars in North Idaho and upstate New York, along with some case studies, are presented to highlight the similarities in the needs of families in both states; namely, economic supports, transportation, social-recreational, and respite services. Finally, the elements that contributed to successful use of service dollars are identified, and a call for additional research on outcomes associated with individualized care is made.