7701 E. Kellogg, Suite
300, Wichita, KS 67207
(316) 660-9600
(316) 660-9660 (Fax)
Contact: Jody Patterson,
LCP, Director
COMCARE’s Children’s Services (CS)
is a program that is dedicated to helping children with serious emotional
disturbances (SED) live at home and remain involved in the community. This is
achieved by assisting youth and their families in accessing the wraparound
network of community services that are available in Sedgwick County.
Children’s Services is available to children under 18
years of age (up to 22 in certain circumstances) who have serious emotional and
social problems that disrupt community, school and family relationships. These
are children at risk for out-of-home placement or psychiatric hospitalization.
Children who meet the criteria for serious emotional disturbance can be referred
to CS by a family member, physician, therapist, psychologist, teacher, school
counselor, or other concerned person. The initial screening to determine CS
eligibility is completed by COMCARE’s Intake and Assessment Center. Fees for
Children’s Services are based on a sliding scale set by the family’s level of
earned income. Medicaid and some health insurances are accepted.
Case Management, a community based service
program, plays a fundamental and critical role in the treatment of children with
serious emotional disturbances. The case manager coordinates any services that
are needed to help the child remain in the home. A case manager also assists
the family in developing the treatment plan in conjunction with the treatment
team. In addition, the case manager provides direct care to the child in
assisting them to reach their treatment goals through a service referred to as
Community Supportive Psychiatric Treatment.
The role of the CS Case Manager is to:
-
Help the family
recognize their own strengths and use these strengths to reach their goals.
-
Teach family
members how to make their own decisions while getting the help they need
from community agencies.
-
Work with the child
and family
through role-modeling, counseling, and service activities while developing
close relationships with all family members.
Therapy Clinic
Individual and Family therapy is also available at COMCARE Children’s Services.
Therapists can assist the child and family to develop strategies to reduce
symptoms, manage stress and improve behavior. All therapists at CS are licensed
in the state of Kansas to provide psychotherapy.
Medical Services
A Board Certified Child
and Adolescent Psychiatrist is on staff to evaluate the need for medication,
prescribe as necessary, and provide ongoing medication management for children
and adolescents in this program. An Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner
(ARNP) and a Registered Nurse (RN) support Medical Services.
Attendant Care Services:
Attendant Care Services is
provided on a one to one basis with a provider spending time with individual
children and youth assisting them to reach their treatment goals. The primary
focus of this service is to provide medically necessary maintenance and support
to the child. The attendant care programming currently offered to children
served by CS is provided via contracts with the Mental Health Association of
South Central Kansas and Behavioral Link.
Psychosocial
Rehabilitation
Psychosocial rehabilitation is a community-based service provided by Children’s
Services and through various contractors in the community. This service is
provided to youth individually or in groups with a focus on reducing functional
impairments related to the youth’s mental health diagnosis. Psychosocial
Rehabilitation utilizes activities to assist the youth in achieving their
treatment plan goals. Psychosocial Rehabilitation services are currently offered
to children served by CS through contracts with the Mental Health Association of
South Central Kansas, Behavioral Link and the Urban League.
Home and Community Based Services for Children
with Serous Emotional Disturbance Waiver (HCBS/SED)
The
HCBS/SED Waiver allows children who would otherwise need institutional care at a
state mental health hospital, to access a state covered insurance plan. In
addition, this insurance plan provides for an array of mental health services
with a focus on assisting the youth to remain in their home, school and
community. These services include: Parent Support Specialist, Community
Psychiatric Supportive Treatment, Wraparound Facilitation, Psychosocial
Rehabilitation, Respite Care, and Attendant Care.
Parent Support and
Training
(Contractual service through COMCARE’s business partners)
This program allows
parent(s) of children with serious emotional disturbances (SED) to act as
consultants and support to other parents. Parent Support Specialist work with
families to procure services and may provide school advocacy, so as to meet
needs of the family unit. Parents Support Specialist may also participate in
treatment plans as family advocates.
Respite Care:
(Contractual Service through COMCARE’s business partners)
Respite care is a
planned, short term break for the child and family. This allows the child and
family to have time apart while ensuring that the child’s needs are being met.
COMCARE
of Sedgwick County
First Appointment – (316)
660-7540
24-Hour
Crisis Intervention Services – (316) 660-7500
01/08
©, Copyright, 2008 COMCARE of Sedgwick
County, Kansas
last update:
02/07/08
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