What was the Linking Systems of Care Project?
Linking Systems of Care for Children and Youth Demonstration Project (LSC) did not propose a single approach! States were funded to identify young victims of crime proactively and work holistically with their families and communities to address their needs. Each state approached their work differently, unified by the LSC Guiding Principles and a “No Wrong Door” approach to victim services.
Who was involved in this work?
The four demonstration sites worked in their states to meet the needs of children and youth (and their caregivers) who had been exposed to violence. The LSC work was guided, supported, and documented by the project’s federal partners and national experts.
What Did They Learn?
The LSC sites, Montana, Virginia, Illinois, Ohio, benefited from rigorous project planning, national expertise, peer-to-peer learning, and trial and error. Unified by their adherence to the values and principles set forth in the Guiding Principles, each state’s partners, needs, and approach to victim services and linking systems were unique. The LSC Coordinator Toolkit provides guidance and tools for jurisdictions interested in replicating LSC activities. The LSC Lessons Learned Report narrates a story of how events unfolded.