Background
Senate Bill 1 (2019) established the Governor's
System of Care Advisory Council.
Senate Bill 4 (2021) authorized the council to appoint an executive director, make recommendations on state agency budgets and
develop a long-term plan for Oregon's System of Care.
The council acts as a central, impartial forum for statewide policy development, funding strategy recommendations and planning. The council's goal is to improve the effectiveness and efficacy of child-serving state agencies and the continuum of care that provides services to youth (ages 0-25).
Learn more about Oregon's System of Care
2026-2029 Plan
The 2026-2029 Strategic Plan is complete!
Membership
To learn more about the council or one of its subcommittees,
please email Anna Williams.
Learn how to apply
Council and Subcommittee Meetings
Unless noted, all meetings are open to the public.
The Full Council meets quarterly for two 2-hour sessions in March, June, Sept, and Dec on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 11 am – 1 pm.
SOCAC will meet 8 times a year in March, June, September, and December. Each quarterly sequence will consist of two meetings per month during months the Council meets. The first meeting of the month will be virtual and focus on provision of information (March 2026 is an exception due to completion of Coach Approach series). The second meeting of the month will be in person and focused on decision making. Lunch will be served at the in-person meeting, and a remote option only for those who live more than 60 miles from the meeting site will be available. Attendance in person is strongly recommended.
Meetings will focus on reports from Local SOCs, Committees, and workgroups on actions taken to implement the SOCAC strategic plan. Decisions passed from committees and workgroups will be discussed in the first monthly meeting and decided upon in the second meeting, allowing time for questions and consideration before a vote is required. Public comment will be allowed at each meeting.
To focus our work, the SOCAC will focus on 2 Priority Topics in 2026:
1. Reduce temporary lodging by 50% in 2026
a. Increase access to PRTF beds
b. Decrease boarding in emergency rooms or hospitals
c. Increase complex care coordination
2. Expand access to community-based care
a. Expand access to in-home/in-community services and supports (like IIBHT) for SUD
b. Expand capacity of in-home/in-community service and support providers to provide high quality care for children and youth with I/DD (who have MH, SUD, or other qualifying diagnoses)
c. School-based services and supports for MH and/or I/DD
d. Access to respite care
SOCAC Committee Structure for implementation of 26 – 29 Strategic Plan
SOCAC’s subcommittees will do the bulk of the work of the Council, meeting more regularly than the full Council and holding responsibility for specific action steps in the Implementation Plan. They may create workgroups for short-term, topic-specific projects which will report and make recommendations to the subcommittee. Workgroups must include members of the sponsoring subcommittee, and may include subject matter experts, and people with lived experience who participate in the SOCAC Affinity Spaces who are not appointed members of SOCAC.
1. Investments & Finance, last Monday of the month, 11 am to noon
Financial sustainability is foundational to an effective system of care. Financial stability involves creating a collaborative financial plan to support integrated, cross-agency services for youth with complex needs. It requires diversifying funding – blending Medicaid, state, local and private sources – while fostering engagement from community partners, providers and people with lived experience. This committee will design recommendations for financial strategies for Oregon’s system of care, including how to maximize Medicaid funding, redirect savings from high-cost interventions into community-based services, and secure new resources, all while ensuring equitable investments for underserved communities. This committee will also guide internal SOCAC financial strategies, including recommending budget priorities to the Executive Committee and performing some oversight on the SOCAC Grants programs.
The Investments & Finance Committee (IFC) is the primary place for the following actions from the 26 – 29 SOC Strategic Plan:
3.5.4 Conduct a fiscal assessment to inform strategic, sustainable, and equitable investments
4.4.1 Audit current funding and programs to improve accountability for money already spent
The Investment and Finance Committee will achieve the following outcomes:
- Complete financial mapping of Oregon’s SOC, including identification of funding gaps and opportunities
- Develop a robust, multi-year recommended plan for blended/braided funding mechanisms
- Develop and make recommendations for SOCAC’s biennial budgets
- Oversee grants and contracts administered by SOCAC
2. Program & Policy Committee, meets monthly on the 4th Wednesday, 3:00 – 4:30 pm
Directs implementation of strategic plan activities that relate to program design/delivery, staffing and training, policy and legislation, and access to specific service types which exist across systems. Maintains equity lens in all policy and program design and incorporates youth and family recommendations into service delivery. Reviews outcomes from program changes. Will likely form a workgroup for each legislative session to watch and weigh in on OR legislation and budget actions. May form workgroups to watch/weigh in on rule changes to OARs or ask members to participate in Rule Advisory Committees (RACs).
Related to the following prioritized actions in the Implementation Plan:
1.1.1 Develop strategies to recruit, promote, retain and support a respectful, responsive and trauma-informed workforce
1.1.2 Create programs and funding that support peer support providers
1.1.3 Develop strategies to break down barriers to free language assistance
1.2.2 Implement more school-based supports and services
1.2.3 Decrease barriers to respite
1.2.5 Decrease barriers in access to intensive services
2.2.4 Create a SOCAC legislation review and feedback process that is youth and family led
Specific outcomes the PPC subcommittee will achieve:
- Practice changes within and across agencies to address prioritized actions listed above
- Policy change recommendations for agency leaders, BHI Subcabinet, legislature
- Workgroups to dig in on complex topics and report back to subcommittee with recommendations on next steps
- Actions that facilitate braided or blended funding
3. Data & Evaluation Committee, meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Evaluation is essential to a functioning system of care, and high-quality, reliable data are foundational to the council’s knowledge of how well the system is functioning in support of youth and families. The Data and Evaluation committee (DEC) will conduct the following core actions:
- Monitor outcomes of the strategic plan
- Lead strategy for SOC dashboard and data integration
- Apply equity lens to evaluate all data and evaluation work done by the Council, including barrier reports from L-SOCs.
- Create annual legislative report and others as directed by the legislature
- Perform annual employee reviews for SOCAC director
- Review outcomes of policy changes resulting from SOCAC’s work
- Direct ongoing assessment and evaluation
Related to prioritized actions
2.1.5 Monitor and report on youth and family experience at policy making tables in partner systems across the state
2.3.4 Participate in various workgroups that are discussing how to break down barriers to cross system data sharing and comparison (and continue conversations about intersectionality in these spaces)
2.3.5 Complete Care Pathways Analysis
3.2.7 Build L-SOC capacity for data driven decision making
3.43 Access and incorporate REAL-D and education data
4. Membership & Development Committee, meets quarterly, 2nd Friday of the month from 8:30 am – 10:00 am
Uses DEI lens to ensure representative membership on SOCAC and subcommittees, recruit members to subcommittees and Council, interviews SOCAC candidates for fit before making recommendation to Gov’s office, supports onboarding & ongoing development opportunities for members
Related to prioritized actions
3.3.1 Update of current member handbook. Include implementation of Youth Adult Partnership (Flower) model
3.3.2 Create traditions of recognition for members
3.3.3 Work closely with CBOs and directly with communities to expand and maintain diversity of SOCAC members
Expected Outcomes for MDC:
- Keeping SOCAC seats filled timely
- Reviewing diversity of SOCAC and subcommittees against SOCAC stated goals
- Membership interviews, appointment recommendations, and onboarding processes
5. Executive Committee, meets monthly on the 3rd Wednesday, 3:30 – 5:00 pm
Approves final agency budget, sets agenda for quarterly council meetings and annual Agency Leader/GO meeting, ensures communication and alignment across committees and appropriate use of equity tool, reviews Exec Director using information from Data & Evaluations Committee DEC.
- Biennial budget
- Agendas for SOCAC meetings and annual agency leader meeting (GOAL for 2027)
- ED review – annually
- Communications alignment between committees
Affinity spaces do not make decisions on behalf of the SOCAC. They are ‘portals’ for PWLE into the work of the subcommittees, and function as support and advocacy training spaces.
Supports youth with lived experience in implementing the Youth Engagement Plan and related strategic plan activities, Leadership development and peer support for youth with lived experience, Direct and host topic specific engagement/focus groups. Serves as the portal for youth involvement in SOCAC and subcommittees. See Lived Experience Logic Model for more information.
- Leadership: Jassed Nunez Pineda and Zephyr Michael Berry, with contracted support from Elliott Hinkle
- Membership: 100% youth with current or historic system involvement or who needed supports/services but couldn’t access them
- Staffing: REAP, supported by Joyleen Carter
- Meeting cadence: 1.5 hours, 1x per month
Related to prioritized actions
2.1.3 Review, assess feasibility, and strategize for implementation of the youth engagement plan
Supports family members with lived experience in implementing the Family Engagement Plan and related strategic plan activities, Leadership development and peer support for adults with lived experience (parenting system involved children), Direct and host topic specific engagement/focus groups. Serves as the portal for family member involvement in SOCAC and subcommittees. See Lived Experience Logic Model for more information.
- Leadership: Annette Majekodunmi, Leah Tucker, and Christina Matouzek, with contracted support from Vanessa Broadley
- Membership: 100% adults with lived experience parenting children with system involvement or who needed supports/services but couldn’t access them
- Staffing: Vanessa Broadley, supported by Joyleen Carter
- Meeting cadence: 1.5 hours, 1x per month
Related to prioritized actions
2.1.4 Review, assess feasibility, and strategize for implementation of the family engagement plan
Next Meetings
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Recent Meetings
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