Our Mission Statement: Family Bridges mission is to empower families to create and engage in a system of care that enables all families whose children have severe emotional disorders and co-occurring diagnoses to form strong positive bonds with each other, their community and with service providers. We bring "our family perspective" to the process of creating a system of care that respects and supports everyone involved. Family Bridges will strive towards an end result of positive team building, family-friendly services and healthy, empowered youth and families. OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT: Families assisting families through a "Family to Family" support link. Monthly support meetings that include a forum for education, information, and encouragement. Provide help to families in obtaining needed resource materials and community services. Community education and training through public speaking and other opportunities. Help families to achieve their optimum personal goals through education, training, recreation, peers, and natural supports. Partnering with service providers in building a unified system of care. Provide a safe and fun respite house for children and youth. GET THE FACTS: Facts for Families   Continue to strengthen relationships with existing local organizations. Locate and train Key family contacts across the state of Missouri. Obtain "branch offices" in Stone/Taney and Barry/Lawerance counties. Organize a state wide Family Organization coalition. Educate others about the current barriers within our local System of Care. Fulfill our Purpose Statement. Develop relationships and learn from existing local family organizations. Begin in Christian and Greene County. Obtain office space to be utilized by board members and volunteers. Develop clear policy guidelines for utilization of volunteers and build a volunteer network. Fulfill our purpose statement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2007 Goals Obtain a home in a child, youth and family friendly community to provide a "respite home" for children and youth. Create and build a partnership with Campfire USA and Teens in Action for Kid's Club and Youth Standing Tall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 Goals Hold our second annual conference in Branson Missouri and create partnerships to begin to build a statewide annual Children's Mental Health Conference. Educate communities about Children's Mental Health and the needs of children and youth with disabilites to be fully accepted and included within their schools, churches, and communites. Create public awareness about suicide prevention in children and youth. Educate communities about bias and stigma against those families who have children and/or youth with a mental health diagnosis and/or developmental disability.           "Linking Families to Resources" RECOVERY  SUPPORT   EDUCATION  AREA HOSPITALS   procovery.com  cwangmd.com/  Judevine judevine.org    NAMI Missouri mo.nami.org/  NAMI Southwest namiswmo.com/  moddrc.com/       Missouri's Department of elementary and    secondary  education                     dese.mo-gov/  ptimpact.com stjohns.com coxhealth.com  Lakeland Hospital lakeland-hospital.com                INFORMATION       SYSTEM OF CARE INFORMATION     members.com/~radclass/  olderchildrenadoption.com   Federation of Familiesffcmh.org psnri.org Missouri Dept of Mental Health dmh.missouri.gov/ showmekids.org