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Programs That Nurture.

Children, Youth & Family Services encompasses a wide-variety of office and community-based, school and home-based services for children and their families living with mental and behavioral challenges. Services provided to expectant mothers, parents of children and youth up to 22 yrs old.

Children's Groups (get a referral from your WCMHS clinician)

Title When? Who? Location Frequency
Adolescent DBT Groups (Skills/ Graduate) Skills groups: Wednesdays 3:30-5pm Thursdays 3:30-5pm Graduate group: Mondays 3:30 – 5pm 13-19 year old 286 Hospital Loop, Berlin
Artistic Healing Wednesdays 4-5pm 13-16 year old 174 Hospital Loop, Berlin CCPS starting 4/23 for 6 weeks
Creative Kids Monthly Arts and Crafts Group 2nd Wednesday each month 3:30-4:30pm 9-12 year old (flexible Beckley
Emotion Identification and Regulation Group Thursdays 4-5pm Beckley Weekly
Kids Collage Art Group Tuesdays in May 4-5pm 10-13 year old 23 Summer Street Tuesdays for 4 weeks
Kids Nature & Drawing Group July 21-23 14-18 year old (4 slots) Trail near 23 Summer Street 3 consecutive days
Kids Yoga and Mindfulness Group August 18-20 10am-12pm 10-13 year old (4 slots) 23 Summer Street 3 consecutive days
Littles Group July 7-10 10am-12pm 5-7 year old (4 slots) 23 Summer Street, Barre VT 05641 4 consecutive days
Millstone MTB Group August 4- 7 10am-12pm 12-15 year old (4 slots) 44 Brook St, Graniteville VT 4 consecutive days
Montpelier Public Pool Swim Group July 28-31 10am-12pm 9-12 year old (8 slots) Montpelier Public Pool 4 consecutive days
Mural Group June 23-26 10am-12pm 9-12 year old (8 slots) 260 Beckley Hill Road, Barre 4 consecutive days
Summer Creative Art Group July 15-17 10am-12pm 9-12 year old (8 slots) 23 Summer Street 3 consecutive days
The Caregiver's Workshop May 19 10am-3pm 174 Hospital Loop, Berlin One-day workshop
Young Adult Meditative Art Group Tuesdays in May 1:30-2:30pm 18-24 year old 23 Summer Street Tuesdays for 4 weeks

  • 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

    Therapeutic case management for biological, adoptive, and foster families. We help families navigate emotional, mental health, and stress-related challenges with stabilization support and long-term success strategies.


    Residential Treatment Programs

    Intensive community-based services to children with challenging behaviors. Operating 5 programs, each specializes in serving specific needs. The goal is to provide stable treatment-based placements to children who have experienced multiple placements, extended residential placements or hospitalization


    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

    Trauma-informed foster care placements with skilled foster parents. Wraparound services, coordinated by an assigned therapeutic case manager. Foster parents are provided specialized training to meet unique needs. The team collaborates with the Department for Children and Families and the Department of Mental Health to ensure successful transition back to the child’s family or relationship development with a newly identified family.

  • Counseling Services

    The Child and Adolescent Services staff provide individual, group, and family therapy, including specialized treatment for children exposed to domestic violence.

  • 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.

  • Early Childhood Services

    Early Childhood Services (Ages 0-6): Outreach specialists support children at risk of emotional or developmental challenges.


    New Leaf  Childcare (Age 0-3): Specialized care for children experiencing or at risk of serious emotional disturbances and children with developmental issues and their families.

  • School Contracted Services

    Home School Coordinators (PBIS): Clinicians and case managers provide home-school coordination, interagency service collaboration, and direct support for students with serious emotional disturbances. Staff also assist with implementing Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) systems in schools.


    a-runtime-url="/GoEd_SCS">Ch.O.I.C.E. (Changing Our Ideas Concerning Education) Academy (Grades 5-12): An integrated mental health treatment and educational center for students with emotional and behavioral challenges. Offers a small, therapeutic environment where education and treatment work together.   First priority for enrollment is given to ChOICE Academy students. WCMHS case managers and staff make referrals to the program.


    Services include:

    • Individualized academic and behavioral support
    • Family and group counseling
    • Case management
    • After-school and summer programs
    • Special education services

    The Beckley Day Program (BDP)The Beckley Day Program (BDP) (Grades 1-6): A short-term tutorial program for students in School Based Behavior Intervention Services Program, who have acute difficulties accessing their education in a traditional school setting.


    Specialized Treatment and Reaching Success (STARS)Age 3-22: Supports students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or developmental disabilities (DD). Provides academic, social, and life skills support within public schools or the STARS center.


    School Based Behavior Interventionist Services (SBBIS): Individualized, school-based programs for students with emotional and behavioral challenges, offering support for both youth and their families.


    Home School Coordinators and Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports Behavior (PBIS) Analysts Clinicians and case managers provide home-school coordination, interagency service collaboration, and direct support for students with serious emotional disturbances. Staff also assist with implementing Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) systems in schools.

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • Children's Navigation

    Children's Navigation


    Unified point of contact for families seeking services. Navigators conduct home, office, or community-based intakes, assess needs, and connect families with the right services. Short-term treatment options include therapy, group therapy, case management, and service coordination. 

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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]

  • 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.

  1. Call 802.229.0591
  2. Be Heard
  3. Be Understood
  4. Get Referred
  5. Intake
  1. Your call will be answered. Always.

    We're always here, ready to answer your call with compassion and understanding. We're listening.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.