Children's Behavioral Health Services

Children and adolescents may require specialized care if they experience behavioral difficulties. Our highly skilled staff is specially trained to work with this age group and offer assessments and recommendations for future care. We continually look for new sources of funding so that we can increase personnel and resources for these services.

Child Targeted Case Management

This program is designed to meet the needs of severely emotionally disturbed children ages birth to 18 years and their families. The program emphasizes a team approach to focus on keeping children from being placed outside the home. Services are recommended by a team of skilled professionals and include case management, support for parents and/or respite. Services continue until a child reaches his/her goals or the family chooses to discontinue services. Services are provided to all eight counties through the clinics.

School-Based Therapy

Most educational facilities in our eight counties are contracted with Communicare to provide clinical services within school settings. We provide individual, family, collateral and/or group therapy provided for their students and families. Referrals for services are typically made by teachers, counselors, and Family Resource Center (FRC) Administrators. Our staff also provide consultation and education for school staff, psycho-educational groups for children or adults, and parenting trainings/workshops.

Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit (CCSU)

For youth under 18 years old who are in crisis, the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit is an alternative to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. We operate a non-medical unit with the goal of helping children return to pre-crisis level of functioning. Children admitted to the unit receive a combination of individual therapy, family and group therapy, nursing services, and psychiatric evaluations with medication management follow-up.

Early Childhood Behavioral Health Program

The Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist provides behavioral health assessments and treatment services to children from birth to age 5 and their family systems. Referrals for services typically come from early childhood professionals and childcare providers. The specialist is also available to provide assistance and one-on-one training to clinicians within Communicare who are working with very young children.  Under contract with the Department for Behavioral Health, we provide education and consultation on the topic of early childhood mental illness throughout our eight counties.

Early Intervention Programs (EIP)

The Early Intervention Programs in Kentucky serve youth through collaboration with the the Court Designated Worker Program and through court referrals.  Youth age 12-17 who have drug or alcohol-related offenses are eligible for services. A variety of tools are used to place each youth in the appropriate prevention education curriculum, or to refer them for further assessment. If a youth demonstrates the need for education, those services will be provided by the Early Intervention Specialist.  Youth needing treatment for chemical dependency will be given appropriate referral options, which may include clinical assessment and group or individual counseling.

Zero Tolerance (ZT)

Communicare RPC provides assessment and prevention education to persons under the age of 21 who are identified by law enforcement and the court system as driving with a blood alcohol ocntent of .02-.08 or under the influence of other substances that impair the ability to drive.  The young person must follow through with the recommendations of both their court agreement and the EIP, which includes paying all fees or attending a treatment program if required. 

Children's Behavioral Health Programs

Children's Behavioral Health Programs are day treatment programs embedded within an educational setting and offering children and teens intensive school-based services. They are five day per week, up to six hour per day, Intensive outpatient psychotherapy service that incorporates intensive mental health treatment venues with community and education services. Children and adolescents referred to the program will be between under 18 years old and involved in school, and are typically at risk for inpatient hospitalization, home bound education services and/or out-of-home placement. In addition to small classroom instruction relative to age and educational placement, each consumer’s treatment plan will include group, individual and family psychotherapy, wrap-around service coordination services and psychiatric review with options for medication management. Referrals to the program will come from school personnel, The Department of Community Based Services, the court system, private medical and psychiatric providers, and also internally from a consumer’s treatment team at Communicare. Length of stay within the program will range from several weeks up to six months, depending on the severity of each consumer’s mental health conditions, and all referrals into the program will be carefully and methodically triaged back into their educational settings.