CASSP is an acronym for the Child and Adolescent Service System Program, a comprehensive system of care for children and adolescents with/or at risk of severe emotional disturbances. This system of care ensures that services for these children and adolescents are planned collaboratively. This includes involving the family and all the agencies that are a part of the child's or adolescent's life.


Eligibility
To be eligible for the program the indivudual must be under the age of 18 with a psychiatric diagnosis, a history of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, and be a resident of Lawrence County.


Staff
Staff regularly attend continuing education programs to keep abreast of developments in behavioral health.


Individual Case Referral
A feature of the Lawrence County CASSP is that it allows for individualized planning. This is accomplished through an Interagency Team consisting of representatives from all CASSP agencies.

Regular meetings are held where individual cases are presented and treatment options are discussed with all relevant agencies and family members present. Barriers to service and gaps in the social delivery system are also identified and addressed at these meetings.


Outcomes
Through this program, children and adolescents with mental health problems are served more effectively through a coordinated community-based effort.


Goals and Objectives
1. Facilitation of ongoing communication among agencies servicing the multiple needs of children and adolescents in Lawrence County.
2. Identification of needs for services and barriers to obtaining said services in both individual cases and in service delivery.
3. Creation of a planning strategy for developing a comprehensive continuum of care through regularly scheduled systems oriented meetings with representatives of service providers and family members.
4. Facilitation of joint service planning for children and adolescents with multiple service needs.
5. Provision of parent involvement in service planning and system changes.
6. Advocacy for such children and their families.
7. Enhancement of public and professional knowledge of the needs of the target population through dissemination fo resource materials, consultation, and coordination of staff training systems.


For further information or
referrals, please contact:
Dee Welker, B.S.E.D.
Lawrence County CASSP Coordinator
724-658-3578, ext. 152
Fax: 724-652-8516
E-Mail: dwelker@humanservicescenter.net
www.humanservicescenter.net


HSC’s clinical programs are licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , assuring professional, ethical, and responsible service delivery. A Total Quality Management program ensures constant monitoring and improving of service quality.