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Children and Families Services at Suncoast Center
Suncoast Center, Inc. provides a broad range
of community based programs for children and families designed to
develop and enhance family support resources, and to resolve emotional
and behavioral problems arising from mental health, substance abuse,
child abuse and neglect, trauma, and much more. These Programs are
integrated across levels of care to insure provision of appropriated
assessment and treatment resources, with youth and family development,
and social support venues essential to addressing needed changes within
the family. Services improve the behavior and functioning of its
members, while creating positive social empowerment experiences that
promote healthy, long term family ties with their neighborhoods and
community.
(Click on an item below to view
details)
Assessment and Evaluation Services
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Child Protection Team (CPT)
The Child Protection Team program is a medically directed,
multidisciplinary program based on the idea that child abuse and neglect
involve complex issues and require the expertise of many professionals
in order to protect children. The Child Protection Team is an
independent community based program that provides expertise in
evaluating alleged maltreatments of child abuse and neglect, assessing
risk factors, and providing recommendations for interventions to protect
children and enhance families’ capacities to provide a safer environment
when possible. The purpose of the Team is to assist Child Protective
Investigations and law enforcement in their investigations of child
abuse cases with the provision of diagnostic services, case
consultation, and assessment services. Child Protection Team services
supplement the child protective investigation activities of the Pinellas
County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies as well as
the case planning activities of Community Based Care. Team involvement
is typically initiated as a result of an open investigation of child
abuse. CPT also takes referrals from the Guardian ad Litem, school,
medical providers, and Community Based Care.
The Child Protection Team provides:
• Medical diagnosis and evaluation
• Child and Family Social Assessments
• Multidisciplinary Staffings
• Psychological and psychiatric evaluations
• Specialized and Forensic interviews
• Expert Court Testimony
Additionally, the Child Protection Team Staff provides training for
child protection investigators and other community providers of child
welfare services as well as for medical providers in the community.
Services are private and confidential and are provided without cost to
the family. Children ages birth through seventeen who have been reported
to the Florida Abuse Hotline and whose situation is currently under
investigation are eligible for CPT services.
Case Management
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Children's Targeted Case Management
Provides Case
Management services to Medicaid eligible children under 18 (and their
families) who reside in Pinellas County. Services are provided in-home
and are community-based, including activities which assess, plan,
monitor, advocate, link and coordinate the full array of community based
resources and services needed by severely emotionally disturbed youth
with a mental health diagnosis. These children may also require two or
more mental health services to maintain their current
residence/placement. When appropriate, case managers are assigned to
Suncoast Center treatment programs as core members of the treatment
teams. Case Managers develop and maintain relationships with essential
agency and community organizations which promote the positive interests
of the children and their families. Flexible staff hours are available
to families. The Program is funded entirely by Medicaid.
In-Home Community Based Programs
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Family Counseling System of Care
The Family System of Care is a short-term, in-home rapid response
program funded by the Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, Inc. (CFBHN).
The Family Counseling System of Care program is designed to provide
family-focused crisis response and risk management counseling, family
case management and resource development services to children under the
age of 18 years old who are experiencing stressors within their everyday
life that may be affecting their social and family life. Families are
eligible to receive in-home assessment, intensive family therapy, and
case management service. In addition, per the family’s request, program
clinicians provide consultation to classroom teachers addressing the
different types of severe behaviors seen in the classroom and general
strategies for intervention. Families served are provided with cell
phone accessibility and on-call response available 24hours a day /7 days
a week by master’s degree level staff.
Family Self-Directed Care
Provides individualized in-home and community based services. The
services offered through this program include assessments, case
management, outreach, in-home therapy, and information to community
resources and referrals. The average length of stay will vary by family
based on their needs ranging anywhere from 1 to 12 months. This
methodology is based on having families involved with services at
different levels, frequencies, and durations. Some families may need
assessments, referrals and linkage to services that could resolve their
presenting issues within a month, while other families will require more
assistance. At the most intensive level of service, a family may receive
in-home therapy services weekly for six months with follow-up services.
The Family Self-Directed Care program is funded by Department of
Children and Families (DCF) and Medicaid. Flexible day/evening hour
appointments are available as well as cell phone accessibility to meet
the families scheduling and communication needs.
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program (TANF) provides
flexible clinical in-home community-based services to TANF eligible
families when their progress toward stable and positive family
functioning and self-sufficiency is impeded by mental health/substance
abuse barriers. In addition to TANF eligibility, families served reside
in South Pinellas County and have a child under 18. Clinical staff
provides in-home assessment; family centered counseling related to
issues of self-sufficiency, community human service linkage, and access
to Suncoast Center psychiatric and Children’s Targeted Case Management
services. Eligible families are also encouraged to participate with
Total Family Strategy family group activities. TANF staff members are
Master’s level or licensed therapists, and work flexible hours to
accommodate the families served. The Program is funded by the Department
of Children and Families Alcohol Drug Abuse and Mental Health Program
Office through CFBHN, and Medicaid.
Therapeutic Preschool Intervention Program
The Therapeutic Preschool Intervention Program provides specialized
early childhood mental health assessments and treatment services to
families with children 0-5 years of age located throughout Pinellas
County. Mental health and family case management services address
barriers to the child’s educational, social, and developmental success.
Clinical services are in-home and family centered, with follow-up
monitoring and intervention. Specialized early childhood assessment and
treatment services are offered through parent and teacher consultation
and coordination of behavior intervention activities. Flexible
day/evening hours and cell phone accessibility meets family scheduling
and communication needs. The Therapeutic Preschool Intervention Program
is funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board, client fees and insurance,
including Medicaid.
Intensive In-Home
Intervention
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Intensive Family Services
The Intensive Family Services program provides an urgent care, intensive
response to families requiring a continuum of community based family
therapy, intervention, case management, community engagement and family
support services. On-site intervention services are provided to families
with children ages 0-17 where there is a mental health issue which
negatively impacts the family stability. Program services are provided
within a solution focused and competency based perspective. The program
provides in depth screening and assessments of individuals and families
to determine care issues and treatment needs, provides family therapy,
individual and couples therapy, specialized infant mental health
services, family case management and family support services. Families
served are provided with cell phone accessibility and on-call response
available 24/7 by master’s degree level staff. IFS is funded by the
Juvenile Welfare Board, client fees and insurance, including Medicaid.
Intensive Residential
Services
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Medical Foster Care (MFC)
The Medical Foster Care Program (MFC) is a home-based program for
children that are medically involved and who are unable to live with
their families. This program is a more affordable alternative for the
citizens of Florida for the care of foster children who must live in
hospitals, nursing homes, or who must have expensive nursing services in
a regular foster home. The MFC Program allows a foster child with a
chronic medical condition to grow and develop in a family setting in a
state licensed foster home. MFC parents are trained and certified as
Medicaid providers of personal care services for these children. One of
this program's most important roles is to return the child to their
birth family by training the family to care for their child's special
medical needs.
Outpatient Programs
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Children’s Outpatient (Medical and Non-Medical)
Provides mental health assessment, counseling, psychiatric evaluation
and medication services to children under 18 and their families residing
in Pinellas County. Services are office-based on Central Avenue in St.
Petersburg and are provided by State licensed Master’s level therapists,
psychiatrists, and ARNP staff. Regular office hours are 8-5 pm Mondays
and Fridays, and Tuesday-Thursday 8-8:00 p.m. Clinical counseling
services are short-term, family-centered, and solution focused. When
indicated, outpatient psychotherapy is provided concurrently with
medication management and Children’s Targeted Case Management. Medical
Outpatient serves children in all Suncoast Center programs that require
this treatment. COP is funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board, client fees
and insurance, including Medicaid.
Children’s Substance Abuse Outpatient and Intervention Services
Provides screenings, assessments, individual and family counseling,
educational groups and psychiatric services to children under 18 having
a substance abuse problem. Services also include those having a family
member with a substance abuse problem. Services are available to
families living throughout Pinellas County and are provided in offices
located on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, as well as, limited
services are provided, in a north county location. Outpatient and
intervention services are provided by experienced master’s level or
licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and ARNP staff. Evening office hours
are available Tuesday-Thursday. Clinical services are family-centered
and short-term. The Children’s Substance Abuse Outpatient and
Intervention Programs are funded by CFBHN, Pinellas county purchasing-
juvenile arbitration, fees and insurance (Medicaid).
Prevention and Early Intervention
Programs
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Family Education and Support Services
Provides home based services to parents, including: parent education,
emotional support, home management skills, resources location, parent
support groups and workshops. The program goal is to prevent child abuse
and neglect. This program is composed of a core group of experienced
family support workers, case coordinators, professional counselors,
trained volunteers and parent support group leaders. The team encourages
and teaches parents through role modeling and coaching to work together
to enhance parenting skills and reduce parenting stress. The Parent Aide
Program, Childnet Program and Shaken Baby Prevention Program are all
included in Family Education and Support Services (FESS).
Total Family Strategy (TFS)
The Total Family Strategy Program provides in-home family-centered
therapy and family social networking/support activities to families that
are at risk for dependency upon public funded economic dependency, child
welfare, mental health, substance abuse, systems. The TFS program is
funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board. The TFS model was developed
recognizing that families who are isolated from their family and
community supports are more likely to become dependent upon economic and
social service systems. Therefore, TFS services are three fold: 1)
family and individual therapy including couples therapy and parenting,
mental health, domestic violence, substance abuse prevention, child
behavioral/ child developmental, and solution focused family systems
therapy; 2) family social network activities and social support building
activities; and 3) family case management to assist with immediate and
crisis driven family needs. The program also provides risk assessments
and safety planning, and on-call crisis intervention services available
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Eligible families must commit to fully
participate in the TFS program including a minimum of weekly in home
therapy, and monthly family event participation, followed by six monthly
follow-up sessions. Total Family Strategy partners with the Emergency
Response Team multi-agency collaborative to serve needs of families
whose children have been diverted from out-of-home foster care by the
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Child Protective Investigations Unit.
The Total Family Strategy program is also provided in partnership with
Coordinated Child Care. Families who are in need of child care in order
to accomplish their targeted goals may receive LIEF entitled childcare
subsidy assigned to the TFS program.
Click here to
view the current TFS monthly newsletter - August 2011
Click here to view the July 2011 newsletter
Click here to view the June 2011 newsletter
Trauma Assessment and Intervention Services
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Child Abuse Recovery Services (CARS)
Voluntary program for families of children who have been sexually abused
by a non-caretaker adult or another child. The CARS program offers
crisis intervention, supportive therapy, and case management services
for the child, the parent, and/or the siblings.
CARS Services:
• Medical examinations by pediatricians and by pediatric nurse
practitioners.
• Short-term immediate crisis counseling services to help deal with the
abuse of the child.
• Help in accessing financial assistance for losses incurred due to the
abuse of the child.
• Assessments of the child's needs and the family's needs as a result of
the crime and referrals to community agencies that can help the family
to meet these needs.
• Therapy for the child, family, or parent, if other alternatives do not
exist in the community.
• Criminal justice support.
• Parent support groups to help parents meet and share with other
parents who are coping with the abuse of their children.
• Child self-esteem groups to help children and their siblings develop
an improved feeling of self worth.
Safe Start Partnership
Safe Start Partnership is a partnership of agencies and citizens working
together to prevent and reduce the impact of violence on children
between birth and six years old. Help A Child provides direct services
to children impacted by violence to reduce the negative effects of
exposure to violence and strengthen families.
Services provided by the Safe Start Partnership Center:
• Case Management
• Information and Consultation
• Crisis Counseling and Family Stabilization
• Clinical Assessment
• Referrals to Community Resources
• Training
• Therapeutic Intervention
Sexual Assault Victim Examination (SAVE)
The SAVE Program provides forensic medical exams and follow up medical
treatment (AFTER Clinic) for adult and adolescent victims of sexual
assault.
Click Here to Print or Download Children Services Information
For more information on
any of our programs please call 727-327-7656
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