Who We Are – NWF Health Network

NWF Health Network - Mike, Rae, and Courtney on stage

NWF Health Network serves as the Network Management agency for child protection and substance abuse and mental health (behavioral health) services in northwest Florida.

Our sole purpose is to provide the highest quality child protection, substance abuse and mental health services to children, adults and their families within their communities through a managed network of accredited providers. We serve as a centralized source of resources and support for our community and agency partners. Our agency is far more than an administrative office, however. At NWF Health Network, we strive to develop relationships with our children and families so we can provide them with the individualized attention they need. At NWF Health Network, we believe that children have the right to grow up safe, healthy and fulfilled in families that love and nurture them – and – that the children, adults and elders in our communities deserve exceptional behavioral health services that meet their needs.

History of NWF Health Network

Florida’s community based care system was built on the premise that allowing communities to develop local solutions for the challenges inherent to child protection would improve outcomes for abused and neglected children and their families. NWF Health Network was founded in 2002 in response to this Florida Legislative initiative to improve child protection services. Working in response to the challenges and opportunities of the transition to community based care, a group of local providers – Camelot Community Care, Children’s Home Society, and DISC Village – pooled their collective resources and expertise, and developed a new non-profit agency, NWF Health Network, Inc., a 501c3 corporation. Our agency’s initial purpose was to develop community based child protection services and supports for the eight counties within DCF District 2B. A start-up contract between DCF and NWF Health Network was signed on April 23, 2003. NWF Health Network became fully operational as the lead agency providing foster care and related services in District 2B in July 2004.

A new opportunity and challenge.

Partnership for Families, Incorporated, and the community based care Lead Agency in DCF District 2A had moved to terminate their contractual relationship with DCF and dissolve the corporation. In response, DCF Administration approached NWF Health Network’s Board of Directors with a proposal that it expand its services and lead agency status to include the 6 counties in District 2A. The one-year emergency contract became effective on March 1, 2005. Subsequently this contract was extended for 5 years. The addition of District 2A expanded the NWF Health Network service area to 14 Florida panhandle counties.

Also in 2005, NWF Health Network’s original provider-based Board of Directors ended its term of service and a new community-based Board of Directors was selected and installed to guide the agency.

DCF’s District service area structure was changed in 2007 to mirror the State’s 20 judicial circuits. As a result, the agency’s child protection service area changed slightly includes the twelve counties included in Florida Judicial Circuits 2 and 14, Madison and Taylor counties having shifted to Circuit 3.

Two men playing basketball with boys on shoulder

Change for the better.

The 2008 Florida Legislature began the initiative toward community based substance abuse and mental health services by amending subsection 394.9082, Florida Statutes authorizing the establishment of Behavioral Health Managing Entities (BHME). NWF Health Network’s selection as the Managing Entity for Florida’s Northwest Region (via competitive bid process) in 2013 completed the state’s transition to community based behavioral health services. NWF’s Managing Entity services contract encompasses the 18 counties that make up Florida Judicial Circuits 1, 2, 14 and Madison and Taylor Counties from Circuit 3.

On November 1, 2022, we began a new agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Families and formally began our newly expanded role as lead Community Based Care agency in Circuit 1. This area includes: Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties.

Through these changes, we, along with our DCF partners, are committed to consumer and community involvement in improving the lives of the children, adults and families that we serve. NWF Health Network is focused on providing high quality child protection and behavioral health services that make life better for children, adults, families, and our communities.

Mission and Vision

Mission

NWF Health Network’s Mission is to provide the highest quality child protection, behavioral health services to children, adults and their families within their communities through a managed network of accredited providers.

Vision

Our Vision is to create local ownership and effective integration of the child protection and substance abuse-mental health systems in each of our eighteen communities. By doing so, we believe that the quality of life for children, adults and families we serve will dramatically improve resulting in personal independence and stronger communities.

Core Values

We will rely on the following values to guide us in our work. We will…

Empower all persons served
Respect the caregivers of children
Be innovative and dedicated to excellence
Be ethically, socially and culturally responsible
Promote family and personal responsibility
Partner with community and faith-based organizations to foster open and collaborative relationships
Earn the trust and respect of our partners, customers and the public by providing exceptional customer service while practicing sound fiscal stewardship
Employ an analytic and systemic approach to planning and performance management
Facilitate a work environment that encourages professional development and growth