The Center for Children & Young Adults (CCYA) maintains a current Strategic Plan at all times, and the process for developing and monitoring the plan is predominately achieved through an annual August Strategic Planning Retreat and an annual January Kick Off Dinner. Additionally, Board Meeting Agendas are designed around the Strategic Plan goals and Meeting Minutes highlight discussions, reports, and decisions related to The Plan.

To guide the strategic planning process, information is gathered from a host of sources, including but not limited to client surveys, behavioral health & medical assessments, agency outcome/data reports, individualized service plans, team case staffings, incident reports, and strategic planning retreat activities. Trends can be found in data collected to identify gaps in client needs & services. Information is also collected through stakeholder interviews, volunteer surveys, staff feedback, and research outcomes in the field that target the client population served (i.e. Association of Children's Residential Centers Guidelines, Research Clearinghouse & Annual Conference presentations, Georgia Score, Kids Count Data Center, Annual CCYA State Cost Reports, Georgia Children & Families Report . . .). Information gathered is used to guide decisions in developing the Strategic Plan and prioritizing plan goals.

The CEO presents a Year End Report and Strategic Planning Progress Report at the Annual Leadership & Stakeholders Kick Off Breakfast/Dinner in January. Additionally, a six-month progress report is also presented at the Annual Strategic Planning Retreat.

Each year, CCYA Leadership also participate in state and local conferences to stay current on trends, minimum standards, legislation, evidence-based practices, innovative programs/services, and research/data collection as related to the professional fields of child welfare and juvenile justice and specific best practices related to residential childcare, youth homelessness, foster care, youth development, & trauma informed care.