Visalia Youth ServicesAlyssa MacielProfessor Cheryl WhittleSWRK 180: Seminar in Macro Practice

Visalia Youth Servicesabout us…

Visalia Youth Services is a community-based agency catering in children’s mental health. The client’s served are aged from 0 to 18 with emotional and or behavioral problems. Visalia Youth Services (VYS) clients are Medi-cal or Healthy Family recipients.

Mission “To Serve People in Need”

Organizational Chart

Board of Directors

Chief Executive Officer

COO Legal CounselCFO

COO

QIC/HIPAA Coordinator

Regional Exe. Director

Regional Director

StaffProgram Directors

Director of Finance

Human Res Director

Fiscal Department Staff

Hume Res. Dept. Staff

Regional Exe.

Director

Deputy Reg. Director

Program Directors

Maintenance and Support Staff

VYS Goals & Services

Treatment is specified to meet the needs of the clients and therefore is given at the clinic, school and home. Client’s progress is measured by increased productivity at home, school, and in the community.

Services include:

Diagnostic assessment

Individual and family Therapy

Group Counseling -(Recent groups: Anger management, Parenting group, Support group for families with Aspersers, Independent living skills group for young adults, Social skills group provided at school)

Case management

Crisis Intervention

Therapeutic behavioral services (TBS)

Medication

Consultation with school personnel

Goals:Visalia Youth Services’

goal is decrease, prevent and or eliminate more serious emotional and

behavioral problems for their client’s well being.

Strengthen relationships within the client’s lives by

implementing guardian and school involvement.

Wants client’s to reach their highest potential to become active productive

members of society.

Referrals

Clients are referred by volunteer, guardian, school officials, physicians, (CWS) Child Welfare Services, County Probation department and (CVRC) Central Valley Regional Center.

For Children Aged 0 to 5 Signs that may Indicate Services are Needed

Parent or parents that feel overwhelmed by being a parent or have mental health problems themselves

Experiencing major source of stress in family, such as divorce or death of a loved one

Alcohol or drug abuse by someone in the home

Violence or disruption in the home

Unusual or difficult behavior by the child

Signs that Indicate Young Children may Benefit from Mental Health

Services

Unusual changes in mood or behavior

Refuses to eat

No friends and or difficulty getting along with peers

Does poorly in school, frequently misses and no desire to attend

Many minor illnesses or accidents

Very fearful, aggressive, or withdrawn

Does not want to be away from caregiver

Many disturbing dreams, difficulty sleeping and or afraid to sleep alone

Refuses to be around certain family members or friends, acts differently in their presence

Displays affection inappropriately or makes abnormal sexual gestures/remarks

If One or More Signs Persists Among Young Adults, may Indicate Mental Health Services are Needed

Withdrawn from usual routine, including friends, family and normal activities

Unexplainable decline in school work

Neglects appearance and or unusual amount of weight gain or loss

Runs away from home

Violent or rebellious behavior

Displays physical symptoms with no apparent illness

Abuses drugs or alcohol

Must have One of the Following Diagnoses to Receive Specialty Mental

Health Services

Pervasive Developmental Disorders, except Autistic disorders

Disruptive Behavior and Attention Deficit Disorders

Feeding and Eating Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood

Elimination Disorders

Other Disorders of Infancy, Childhood or Adolescence

Schizophrenia and other psychotic Disorders

Mood Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Somatoform Disorders

Factitious Disorders

Dissociative Disorders

Paraphilias Disorders

Gender Identity Disorders

Eating Disorders

Impulse Control Disorders

Adjustment Disorders

Personality Disorders

Medication-induced movement Disorders

Early & Periodic Screening

Diagnostic and Treatment

EPSDT benefits with relation to mental health:

Mental health assessment

Collateral contacts (guardian)

Therapy

Rehabilitation (works on coping skills)

Medication support services

Day rehabilitation

Day treatment

Crisis intervention/stabilization

Targeted case management

TBS services

What is it?Comprehensive and

preventative child health program, includes periodic screening, vision, dental, &

hearing services.

Purpose:Identify and correct illnesses and conditions early, for the purpose of curtailing more

serious problems later in life.

Goals:1.)Assure availability and

accessibility of health care resources

2.)Help Medicaid recipients and guardians effectively use

these resources

Therapeutic Behavioral Services

TBS Services are short-term one on one assistance with youth under 21 years old who are experiencing severe behavioral problems

Services can be provided at home, foster home, group home, school, and day treatment program

Behavioral intervention plans help control problem behavior and goal is to work toward lower level of care and may be able to return home if living in group home.

Services are needed when other interventions have been tried and failed before

Cultural Considerations

Provide services in preferred language

Provide culturally appropriate assessments and treatments

Make efforts to reduce language barriers

Provide services with sensitivity to culturally specific views of illness and wellness

Consider own world view while providing services

Provide oral interpreter free of charge

Provide written information in various languages

Continued learning such as meeting to teach employees what it is like to live with mental illness and working with people from various backgrounds

Human Rights of the

Consumer

Consumer Entitlements:

Respectful treatment and information on progress

The right to a second opinion

Services in a safe environment

The right to discuss or report concerns or problems with the services or providers

Information or assistance with the complaint or grievance

The right to retain an attorney

The right to authorize, in writing, a person to act on behalf

The right to services without discrimination based on race, color, sexual identity, creed, religion, age or national origin

Cannot be asked to relinquish rights as a condition of admission or for receiving treatment

“Acceptance and participation in the mental

health system of care is voluntary”

Family Advocate559-624-7449

Patient’s Right Advocate1-800-905-5597

Visalia Youth Services711 N. Court St., Visalia Ca 93291 627-

1490

Weekdays (M-Th) 8am to 7pmFri. & Sat. 8am to 5pm

Suicide/Crisis Hotline 733-6877

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