Program/Service

Intensive In Home Services Program

Description

The Intensive In Home Services Program provides outreach, intensive case management, individual and family therapy, and service coordination to children and their families in order to maintain a child in the home, school, and community environments. Services include the following:

Orientation of New Consumers: The assigned clinical team in the Intensive In Home Services Program will review with the family how the program operates. This orientation is done during the first contact with the family, which usually occurs in the home. It is emphasized that Intensive In Home Services is a family focused program and that the participation of both the child and parents are required. The consumer handbook is given to parents, which outlines consumer rights, responsibilities, and program rules. The family members are also informed of the limits to confidentiality and their rights as a consumer. Releases of information are obtained.

Clinical Assessment/Development and Ongoing Review of Treatment Plan: A clinical assessment is conducted within thirty days on all consumers admitted to the program. Upon the completion of the clinical assessment, a treatment plan is developed between the assigned Intensive In Home Services staff members and the family. The family and Intensive In Home Services team members review the treatment plan quarterly. Changes are made to the treatment plan as needed. For all cases referred by Department of Social Services, the treatment plan is reviewed monthly with the family and Intensive In Home Services team.

Medical Examination: Upon admission, a medical history is completed and placed in the clinical assessment. If a child has not had a physical within a twelve month period of time, a recommendation to the family is made to schedule the child for a complete medical examination through their primary care physician. In addition, a release of information is obtained in order to coordinate with the child’s physician.

Psychiatric Consultation and Medication: The Youth and Family Services psychiatrist is available on a weekly basis for medical and psychiatric consultation with children. An appointment can be arranged by an Intensive In Home Service staff member. All psychiatric appointments are attended by one member of the Intensive In Home Service team unless prior arrangements by the team have been made with the psychiatrist.

Therapy/Case Management Services: The Intensive In Home Services program provides crisis intervention, case management, individual/family therapy and skill development services which include, but are not limited to the development of life skills, behavior management skills, conflict resolution skills and/or crisis management skills. The Intensive In Home Program provides both mental health and substance abuse treatment to individuals and families identified as in need of this treatment. Contact by the Intensive In Home Services team with the family is intensive, ranging between three to ten hours a week. Staff arrange appointments that are convenient for the family. The average length of service provided to families is between six to nine months. A transition plan is developed with the family prior to discharge from the program.

Substance Abuse Services: The unit provides substance abuse treatment to individuals and families including drug education, individual and family therapy, case management and referrals to detox, substance abuse outpatient and substance abuse residential services and private providers.

Availability of Emergency Clinical Consultation: Intensive In Home Services is part of the Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse (MHMRSA). After hours emergency services are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Department is staffed by twenty-four hour emergency services accessible to consumers via phone calls, walk in visits, outreach or emergency room visits at the local hospital. Emergency Services staff provides crisis intervention to both consumers and non-consumers. In addition, Intensive In Home staff are able to contact their supervisor for emergency consultation via cell phone. If the Intensive In Home Services supervisor is not available, staff are instructed to contact the Division Director of Child, Family and Prevention Services.

Discharge Planning: The Intensive In Home Services team works with the consumer to assist in the discharge/transfer process. As determined between the Intensive In Home Services team and the family, linkage to lesser restrictive services are made.

Interim Services: If the program reaches capacity, the Team Leader will assist the case manager and/or family locate appropriate services.

Supportive Services: Psychological evaluation and psychiatric services are available through the Youth and Family Outpatient Team.

Respite Services: Intensive In Home Services provide their families with crisis backup, linkage to agencies that provide respite, assistance in identifying natural supports for respite, and assistance to the family to develop family crisis plans. Intensive In Home Services staff are aware of the community agencies that can access respite care for a family as well as community programs that directly provide respite services.

Agency/ Organization

Alexandria Community Services Board

Address/Location

720 N. St. Asaph Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314

Phone #

703-838-6400

E-mail

acsb@alexandriava.gov

Website

http://www.alexandriava.gov/mhmrsa/

Contact Person

Deborah Warren

Eligibility Criteria

Youth meeting certain criteria are eligible for services provided through State Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) funds. A youth is defined as:  (1) a person less than 18 years of age, or (2) an individual through twenty one years of age who is otherwise eligible for mandated services either due to educational needs or foster care services. Eligibility is determined by meeting the following criteria as noted in Code of Virginia 2.1-758 2000 edition of the Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Laws of Virginia Annotated. At least one of the following criteria must be met:

1. The child or youth has emotional or behavior problems which: have persisted over a long period of time or are of a critical nature that intervention is necessitated or the behaviors are significantly disabling in more than one community setting or the youth requires services or resources that are beyond the normal agency services and requires coordination by at least two community agencies; and
    
   
2. The child is at-risk of an out of home placement or the youth requires placement for purposes of special education in a private school or the child has been placed into foster care; and
    
   
3. The child is either a resident of the City of Alexandria or non-resident is required to pay for the full cost of services.

Consumers covered by Medicaid have the flexibility to choose services where ever they are available.  As a result, the Intensive Home Based Services Program may be required to serve consumers who are residents in another jurisdiction.

Hours of Operation

The program operates Monday - Friday. Staff hours vary depending on family needs and may include weekends and evenings.

Referral, Screening & Admission Procedures

The Alexandria Community Policy and Management Team ( ACPMT) contracts for Intensive InHome Services. When the need for Intensive In Home Services  is identified, the request is presented to a Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) by a case manager from one of the ACPMT agencies. The FAPT team members determine what services are appropriate. If the family has Medicaid, the case manager may decide to refer directly to the Intensive In Home Services supervisor, without going through the FAPT process. A family seen for intake through Alexandria Mental Health Center or another staff member may be referred to the Intensive In Home Services Program. If the family has Medicaid, an internal referral is made to the appropriate program. The Youth and Family case manager may seek FAPT approval for Intensive InHome Services.

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