Collaborative and Proactive Solutions

Whether you're a parent or teacher...whether a child is behaviorally challenging or not...collaboration is the key to improved relationships, better communication, and solving problems. This website contains a ton of free resources to help you move in that direction. The goals of this website is to help to ensure that kids everywhere are treated in ways that are compassionate, informed, and effective.

Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers (TACs)

The responsibilities of the Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) include statewide distribution of information on effective and promising practices in the establishment and ongoing management of Community School strategies through professional development and technical assistance activities designed to: 

• Familiarize school personnel across New York State with Community School strategies;
• Increase the knowledge and skills of school personnel and community partners to aid in the implementation, management, and sustainability of Community Schools;
• Promote the establishment and development of Community Schools that incorporate the characteristics of Community Schools strategies listed above: a rigorous academic program with strong supports, a full range of school-based and school-linked programs and services, and partnerships that demonstrate collaboration with the local community;
• Provide school districts with the tools necessary to design and implement needs/resource assessments that will provide the data necessary to effectively target Community School resources; Increase statewide capacity to support effective Community School strategies; and
• Identify and evaluate the school districts’ needs within a region in order to provide tailored technical assistance and professional development.

Disability Employment Initiative

The Disability Employment Initiative's (DEI) strives to:

• Improve educational, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes for adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits, by refining and expanding already identified successful public workforce strategies;
• Help these individuals with disabilities find a path into the middle class through exemplary and model service delivery by the public workforce system;
• Improve coordination and collaboration among employment, training and asset development programs implemented at state and local levels, including the expansion of the public workforce investment system's capacity to serve as Employment Networks under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program; and
• Build effective community partnerships that leverage public and private resources to better serve individuals with disabilities and improve employment outcomes.

Regional Interagency Technical Assistance Teams (RiTATs)

Regional Interagency Technical Assistance Teams (RiTATs) meet regularly and use cross-systems collaboration to address system level issues and support the implementation of the System of Care core values and principles within their agency or organization. Family and youth serve as full partners to share the experiences and needs of families and youth served by the System of Care, and facilitate problem solving at the program and policy levels.

The Team serves as a liaison between the New York State-level senior staff members with regard to improving cross systems collaborations. The RiTAT is committed to sharing information and delivering quality technical assistance and consultation to agencies and counties which will enable them to achieve better outcomes for children, youth and families. As collaborative initiatives have grown at the state level, it became evident that leadership and resources at both the state and county level were necessary. Collective and shared knowledge and expertise of the team are used to maximize efforts, avoid duplication and help support evidence-based programming.

View Regional Interagency Technical Assistance Teams (RiTATs) using our MSNavigator Mapping Tool.

Restraint and Seclusion in Schools - Federal Policy

The United States Department of Education, in collaboration with SAMHSA, has identified 15 guiding principles to help ensure that schools are safe and healthy learning environments for ALL students. This document does not set forth any new requirements, does not create or confer any rights for or on any person, but provides guiding principles to assist schools in developing and implementing policies and procedures related to restrain and seclusion.