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CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES
Helping Shape Our Future.
Helping children and families, with passion, for the development of intellecutal and behavioral growth is the foundation of our children's programs.
Programs That Nurture.
The Children, Youth & Family Services division of WCMHS encompasses a wide-variety of office and community-based services, as well as school and home-based programs for children and their families living with mental and behavioral challenges. Our best-practice and innovative services are provided to expectant mothers, parents of children and youth up to 22 years of age.
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Community & Home-based Services
Community and Home Based Services include programs in our Children’s Division, which provide support and services to children and their families in the community as well as in their homes.
Family Partnerships and Supports
Through the Family Partnership and Supports Program, case managers are focused on providing individualized services for children and families who are experiencing a serious emotional disturbance and are at-risk of more restrictive placement, and/or multi-agency involvement, such as intervention by Department for Children and Families (DCF).
Residential Treatment Programs
Residential Treatment Programs provide intensive community-based services to children with challenging behaviors. Up to four residents are served in each program. The primary goal of the programs is to provide stable treatment-based placements to children and youth who have experienced multiple placements, extended residential placements or who would otherwise be hospitalized.
Respite Services
Respite care services are designed to give limited, planned, scheduled breaks to families caring for a child or youth experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, a serious emotional disturbance. The Respite Program may provide overnight services through licensed Vermont DCF foster care providers.
Therapeutic Foster Care Program
Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) is a trauma-informed program supporting children having experienced trauma and have difficulty managing their emotions and behaviors in a typical home environment. The TFC program works to meet the physical, emotional and social needs of children and youth in a supportive family setting until the child’s primary family can be reunited after separation. TFC uses a team approach that encourages positive family participation and collaboration among all team members. Opportunities exist for interested foster care providers.
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Counseling Services
The Child and Adolescent Services staff provide a variety of outpatient individual, group, and family counseling services using many therapeutic methods. Staff are also trained in providing therapy designed for children exposed to domestic violence.
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Developmental Services
Community Developmental Services (CDS) works with CYFS to provide comprehensive services to children and youth with developmental disabilities, autism and other ongoing developmental disorders.
All persons receiving support are assigned a Service Coordinator/Case Manager who is responsible for their consumer's Individual Support Agreement and assists the person in achieving success within their community.
The Bridges Program provides care coordination to assist families of children under age 22 that are eligible for Vermont Medicaid and who have developmental disabilities.
The Bridges Program is a goal-driven approach and designed to help families:
- Determine what supports or services are needed
- Access medical, educational, social or other services to address their child’s needs,
- Coordinate multiple community-based services and develop a plan to address their child’s needs.
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Early Childhood Services
Through the Early Childhood Services program, outreach specialists provide clinical and consultation services working with other local agencies. The focus is on young children, and their families, ages 0 to 6 experiencing, or at risk of, a serious emotional disturbance.
One program offered under Early Childhood Services is New Leaf, which provides specialized day care services for kids aged 0 to 3, and their families. Its primary focus is on serving children experiencing or at risk of a serious emotional disturbance as well as children with developmental issues.
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School Contracted Services
These services are provided through contracts between a Local Education Agency (LEA) and WCMHS. Services are paid for by the LEA and delivered by WCMHS.
School Contracted Services Programs include:
Ch.O.I.C.E. (Changing Our Ideas Concerning Education) Academy is a licensed independent school and an integrated transitional mental health treatment facility/educational center. ChOICE provides educational and therapeutic services to youth in grades 5-12. Enrollment is voluntary and limited to youth currently unable to access their education in a traditional setting.
There is also an afterschool program that provides any youth currently served by WCMHS therapeutic afterschool activities three-days-a-week during the academic calendar year. First priority for enrollment is given to ChOICE Academy students. WCMHS case managers and staff make referrals to the program.
The Beckley Day Program (BDP) is a short-term tutorial program available for students served by the School Based Behavior Intervention Services Program, in grades 1-6, that are having acute difficulties accessing their education in a traditional school setting. Children served by BDP are typically students in need of extra support, stabilization, and assessment. Youth are offered a supportive environment in which their social, emotional and educational needs can be assessed and supported with the goal of transitioning the students back to the least restrictive mainstream educational environment.
Specialized Treatment and Reaching Success (STARS) has been designed by Children, Youth, and Family Services to address the unique educational and social needs of children and youth ages 3-22 years old that are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or other developmental disabilities (DD). STARS provides a wide variety of supports including individualized academic, social skills, and life skills within public schools or onsite at the STARS.
STARS School provides a full onsite academic program for students which includes individualized behavioral programming, social skills training, and support around activities of daily living (ADLs). Programs are individualized and developed by the consultant and an educator with significant input from the family and sending school team.
School Based Behavior Interventionist Services (SBBIS) provides multiple highly individualized school-based programs for youth and their families living with significant emotional and behavioral disorders. Youth that we serve are at risk of being placed in residential and/or day treatment programs. The vast majority of the youth we serve remain in their homes and schools to minimize disruption through the use of trained behavior interventionists, therapeutic case management services for the family and school, behavioral consultation from a clinician trained in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), and close partnerships with the contracting schools.
Home School Coordinators and Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports Behavior (PBIS) Analysts are CYFS clinicians/case managers who work in contracting schools to provide home/school coordination, interagency service coordination, and direct services to children, youth, and their families who are experiencing a serious emotional disturbance. Staff also assists the contracting school with the implementation of its PBIS system.
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Children & Teen Grief & Loss Support Groups
The Children’s Grief and Loss Program [CGLP] provides therapeutic services to reduce the risk of unhealthy behaviors for youth (ages 5-22) and families who have experienced a significant loss. The CGLP is ideal for those having experienced a traumatic event like a death, termination of parental rights, changes in foster/adoptive care, divorce, a significant move(s), or long-term incarceration. It's no secret that children that experience any of these type of events are at risk for profound mental health concerns. WCMHS strives to provide a safe, supportive environment where youth can connect with each other and learning coping skills while engaging in healthy, creative activities.
What do we do?
Our grief-focused services include:
- Six-week group for youth (with a seventh session for caregivers)
- Short and long-term individual therapy
- Caregiver psychoeducational sessions (time limited)
- Summer and winter check-in groups for youth already involved with the CGLP
- Trainings for other providers who want to learn more about supporting grieving youth
- Trainings for other providers who want to start their own grief program
All services require an assessment process and groups occur approximately four times per year. Please call (802) 479-4083 to find out when the next group will begin, to make a referral, or for more information!
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Children's Integrated Services
WCMHS clinicians provide consultation and education to child care centers that are serving young chlidren who are at risk of losig their placements.
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Children's Navigation
Children's Navigation
Children’s Navigation serves as a unified point of contact for youth and families seeking services with WCMHS. Navigation offers intake assessment as well as treatment recommendation and referrals to individuals, families and their existing support teams. Navigators also provide short-term office- or community-based treatment as needed, including individual therapy, group therapy, case management, and service coordination.
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Jump On Board for Success (JOBS) & Transition Services)
Jump On Board For Success (JOBS) & Transition Services
JOBS is an innovative supported employment and intensive case management service that targets youth ages 16 – 22 with severe emotional disturbance. The targeted youth are out of school or seriously at risk of dropping out and are at high risk for or have experienced involvement with Corrections, substance abuse, homelessness, physical abuse or other concerning behaviors.
Contact: Heather Houle
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (802)479-4055
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Psychiatric & Nursing Services
Psychiatric & Nursing Services
Psychiatric staff provides medication evaluation and ongoing medication management.
Nursing staff facilitate coordination with primary care providers, oversee medication administration and provide special care procedures.
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The Doula Project
The Doula Project includes three components – prenatal, labor and postpartum support. The components are approached with the understanding that women suffering from mental health issues, cognitive limitations, who are trauma survivors or who struggle with addictions have a unique set of needs. The project is available to any woman who receives or is eligible to receive services from WCMHS.
Contact: Maria Rossi— 802. 522.8637
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Imagination Station Snoezelen Room
Imagination Station Snoezelen Room
The Imagination Station is a specific kind of sensory room known as a Snoezelen Room. Coined in the ’70s by two Dutch therapists, the Dutch hybrid word — pronounced “snooze-a-lin” — directly translates as “sniffing and dozing”, meaning to explore and relax. The Imagination Station is the only Snoezelen Room in Northern New England.
The most important part of the Snoezelen experience is not the equipment, but the control people with autism over their environment. The ability to make the experience truly theirs is what makes this visit truly special.
The Imagination Station was brought to us by the Autism Puzzle Foundation. Randi Lamberti, a local financial adviser, was inspired to help Vermont families affected by autism, and was a co-founder of The Autism Puzzle Foundation of Vermont, whose Board donated upwards of $75,000 for Snoezelen Room equipment; WCMHS used its own funds and in-house staff to transform former office and storage areas into the Imagination Station, which is dedicated to the memory of Lamberti’s late mother, Kay Lamberti.
The room can be booked from 9:00-3:30 in private, one -hour blocks Monday through Friday.
Please call (802) 479-4055
or email [email protected]
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How to Access Help
Visit our Contact Us page
If this is an emergency please call (802) 229-0591.
For Crisis Services:
You can contact the Emergency Services Team by calling 802.229.0591 or by visiting the office during normal business hours:
286 Hospital Loop
Building C, Physician’s Building
Berlin, VT 05602
For Children, Youth, Family, and Adult Services:
For access to WCMHS services, you can also call 802.229.0591 and ask to speak to one of our friendly Intake Clinicians. You will be asked what kind of services you are seeking and depending on your answer (children’s services, adult mental health services) you will be directed to the correct person. You may also be asked some routine questions and to schedule a brief interview to begin the process of accessing services. If you are not sure what services you are seeking, or what programs we offer, WCMHS will work with you to help you determine and access the services you may need.
For Developmental Services (Child or Adult):
Start by calling 802.479.2502 and speak to our friendly Intake Coordinator. You will be asked what kind of services you are seeking and depending on your answer (children’s services, developmental services) you will be directed to the correct person. You may also be asked some routine questions and to schedule a brief interview to begin the process of accessing services. In order to receive Developmental Services, you need to be Medicaid eligible. WCMHS can help you apply for Medicaid, if you do not have it in place, and will work with you to access the services you may need.
If you are interested in becoming a Home Provider, please contact our Home Provider Recruiter @ 802.479.2502.
How to reach us
AND WHAT TO EXPECT
Getting the help needed, whether for you, your child, a family member or friend, is just a phone call away. We're here to help, 24/7/365.
- Your call will be answered. Always.
We're always here, ready to answer your call with compassion and understanding. We're listening.
- We're listening.
When you call us and if in crisis, you'll be connected to someone that will listen and help put you at ease. If your call is less urgent, we'll schedule an assessment and begin the intake process.
- We'll need to get some information.
Conducting an assessment will help us better understand your needs so we can ensure you're connected with the services to best meet you where you're at.
- Get the support that meets your needs.
Once we have an understanding of your needs, we'll provide a referral to appropriate level of care.
- Our wait times may be a bit longer...
There's a lot of need within our community and wait times are longer than usual. But we have options that will help put you at ease until there are openings. We got you. Always.
Helping others.
It's what we do.
Have a question about our programs and services?
We'd love to hear from you!
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All Rights Reserved.