ABSTRACT
As residential programs and stakeholders seek to implement transformational changes, community partnerships have been found to be a critical element of achieving sustained positive outcomes for youth and families post-residential discharge. This chapter examines key considerations and strategies in partnership development and identifies essential partners in residential transformation, including families and youth, cross-system and legal professionals, oversight agencies and managed care companies, and community programs and supports. The chapter also provides detailed examples of how specific organizations have developed, nurtured, and sustained partnerships with families, external agencies, legal representatives, and schools, that demonstrate positive impact at the organizational, systemic, and judicial levels. Particular attention is paid to the importance of partnerships in aftercare, describing how five different agencies have worked with stakeholders to provide effective post-discharge services and supports and presenting relevant data. The authors highlight the cross-cutting themes of these different approaches.
