Taking the helm of District LIPT

Meet JoEllen Hancock from Cherokee County

I serve as Chair of the district’s LIPT (Local Interagency Planning Team). The purpose of LIPT is to improve and facilitate the coordination of services for children living with severe behavioral health needs or addictive diseases.

LIPT members work together with appropriate agencies and the family to create care plans. Families can be referred to LIPT through various networks, including schools, child-serving agencies, and parents themselves.

As chairperson, the referring person/agency reaches out to me and we go over the circumstances for the referral to determine it’s meeting the LIPT criteria.  Once that has been determined, I can place the family on the Agenda for the next scheduled meeting.  

As Chair, I set the agenda based on referrals and schedule the meetings.
I also notify all members of the LIPT team of the monthly meetings to ensure the agency that is working with the scheduled family will attend to give input/update for that family.  

 It has been my goal to expand the members of the LIPT team over the last few years to add more providers of services and additional community support/providers.  This ensures each family is given the opportunity to choose the supports and services they need most.

Participation for the Youth/Family is voluntary and is Youth/Family centered.  

Many of the families/youth that are referred to the LIPT are students receiving Special Education services in our district.  So this fits in perfectly with what I do as a Parent Mentor specifically with Family Engagement and working with Community Partners.  

I highly recommend, if there is a LIPT team in your Region or County, lean about it, participate if you can or become a LIPT team member!!  

Supporting Student Success, Collaborating with Community