The hope is that our story of a “complex care” youth can be used as a concrete example of how partnership, urgency, flexibility, and creativity came together to make the seemingly impossible, possible. This presentation uses a case study as the center of the discussion and supports the need for continued expedited transition services for our hard-to-place youth, as the case study youth was not an out-of-state youth at the time the case was referred to Seneca for additional supports and services. Constantly re-placing a youth, for them to run away, is not benefiting the children in care, nor addressing their underlying traumas. Both county and private agencies can come together if they are willing to think outside the box and create programs that may not exist in an effort to act in the best interest of our complex care youth. The Continuum of Care is incomplete if we cannot service all youth within our state. How can you get to yes, for the best interest of our youth?

• Lauren Crutsinger – Seneca Family of Agencies Regional Executive Director of Sonoma & Marin Counties

• Bridgette Hernandez – Riverside County, Department of Public Social Services Deputy Director

• Josie Roemhild, LCSW – Seneca Family of Agencies Regional Executive Director, Southern California