Acknowledgments to Contributors For Participation in Youth Empowered Solutions!

This initiative would not have been possible without the contributions of many individuals. The support of so many dedicated and knowledgeable individuals has made the past five years both productive and exciting.  Thank you-

The young people who participated in the YES! pilots—with a special thanks for providing feedback and leadership that guides the work and helps others to understand it.

To the youth coordinators who pioneered this new way of supporting young people with serious mental health and substance use conditions toward successful adulthoods.

To both the management and staff of the Jefferson County Department of Human Services and Outagamie County Department of Health and Human Services for innovative and system changing work over the course of the five-year grant. A special thanks for the contributions to dissemination processes that have given YES! a foothold in additional counties. It wouldn’t have happened without your leadership at the regional and statewide trainings and conference presentations.

To the UW-Madison Population Health Institute team – Janae Goodrich, Robin Lecoanet Moskowitz, and Delaney Dustman – for keeping us on track and well-informed regarding the impacts of our efforts.

To Jonathan Cloud for his consultation in helping us describe the developmental components of YES! and his substantial contributions to preparing the workforce to take a more developmental view of the provision of mental health services generally and the YES! framework in particular.

To the staff at the Center for Inclusive Transition, Education & Employment, University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, for partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to facilitate regional and statewide training opportunities, workforce development, statewide Now is the Time – Healthy Transitions conferences and the development of this website.

To the many national experts who have contributed to growing this work in Wisconsin, including Gwen White, Elizabeth Waetzig, Brie Masselli, Eric Lulow, Debra Cady, and Johanna Bergan.

To the range of individuals who supported this project while working at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services over the years. Your various perspectives and contributions have been priceless.

To Joyce Allen, without whom so many things, including the current focus on the needs of youth and young adults with serious mental health and substance use challenges never would have happened.  Joyce has a unique balance of vision, detail, and persistence. Her leadership as director of the Bureau of Prevention Treatment Recovery within Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has been extraordinary. A special thanks!

To the young people who developed and recorded video feedback regarding their experiences in YES!, we thank you for both your thoughtfulness and your permission to use the products of your work.  Your work gives greater meaning to the written words describing the model.

This work was supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Now is the Time – Healthy Transitions (Grant Number: 3H79SM061916-05S1, CFDA 93.243).

Sally Raschick, Principal Investigator

June, 2020