Child and Family Team (CFT)

A Child and Family Team (CFT) will convene to identify supports and services that are needed to achieve permanency, enable a child to live in the least restrictive family setting, and promote normal childhood experiences. The CFT is based on the family’s voice and choice recognizing their culture and inclusion of natural supports.

The CFT is a group of individuals that includes the child or youth, family members, professionals, natural community supports, and other individuals identified by the family who are invested in the child, youth, and family’s success. The team works together to identify each family member’s strengths and needs, based on relevant life domains, to develop a child/youth and family centered case plan.

To schedule a CFT, call 530-225-3793

Child & Adolescent Strengths and Needs (CANS):

The CANS is a multi-purpose tool that supports decision-making, including case plan, level of care, treatment plans and allows for monitoring related to outcomes of services. The CANS as part of the CFT process helps guide conversations among CFT members about the well-being of children and youth, identify their strengths and needs, inform and support care coordination, aide in case planning activities and inform decisions about placement. The CANS is a communication tool.

The initial CANS is completed by a CANS certified clinician with the child, youth, family and caregiver. The CANS will be shared with the case carrying social worker, child, family and caregiver prior to the CFT meeting. At the CFT meeting the CANS domains will be discussed and areas of strength and need will be determined to help identify case plan goals and future treatment plan needs. After the CFT meeting the mental health clinician will finalize the CANS ratings and provide a final copy to the case carrying social worker. The CANS will be updated every 6 months by a certified mental health clinician and finalized at the CFT meeting.