Our Services
Children's Case Management
Children’s case management assists children and their families by linking them with needed resources and supports, such as mental and behavioral health services, medical care, educational support, extracurricular activities, and resources for parents. Having a children’s case manager is sometimes the only way to access more specialized services, and can be an invaluable resource to parents who are unfamiliar with the mental/behavioral health system, who need support in navigating the educational system, or who are simply struggling to find the best ways to manage the unique needs of their children.
Children’s case managers are able to meet with children and families at home, in the community, and even at school as needed. In order to qualify, a child or young adult must first be assessed by a clinician to determine whether they have a mental health condition(s) which would be accepted under the guidelines of the Section 13 – Behavioral Health Case Management program. This program serves ages birth to 21.
Children's Case Services Available
Special Education Advocacy
Navigating the educational system can be challenging for any parent, and even more so if their child or children have special educational needs. Our Children’s Case Managers are able to help parents understand their rights and options to ensure that each child is receiving the best educational experience possible. TCMs are well-versed in working to improve communication between parents and schools, and can help the parents learn about things like IEP meetings, 504 plans, and other services for children with special education needs.
Referrals to Developmental Testing
Sometimes parents might have questions about whether their child is developing appropriately and meeting developmental milestones on time. Others might wonder why their child behaves a certain way in different situations. One way to find the answers is to have thorough testing done, which can often open doors to specialized services such as Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, in-home supports or alternative schooling options, depending upon the age of the child. TCMs can help make referrals for these tests and can assist the agencies and parents in coordinating any services for which the child now qualifies as a result of their testing.
Behavioral Health Support
Many parents and children struggle with a variety of problematic feelings and behaviors, from anxiety about going to school to inability to control anger. Sometimes these issues can be disruptive or stressful for the whole family when they are not well-managed. TCMs are able to make referrals to a wide variety of therapeutic children’s services, from intensive in-home parent/child treatment to weekly outpatient therapy targeted on behavior improvement. TCMs can also help parents advocate with schools to ensure that the schools are providing similar behavioral health support during the school day so that learning is not disrupted.
Medical Resource Coordination
Making sure their children are healthy and happy is the biggest priority for parents. While some children require only routine checkups and care from their pediatricians, dentists and optometrists, others have more specialized conditions that require more medical interventions and support. TCMs are able to help parents ensure that all of their child’s medical needs are being met, no matter the level of need. They routinely help parents coordinate appointments, seek out new referrals for specialized conditions, and assist parents in making sure they are able to follow Dr’s recommendations for their child’s optimal health.
Parental Education and Support
Being a parent is tough and it is hard to do it alone. TCMs are able to help parents obtain the resources they need to ensure that they are doing their very best in raising their children. Sometimes this might look like obtaining respite care, or at other times simply being able to learn more about the challenges they face with different aspects of childcare, including obtaining it. TCMs can help parents obtain childcare, link to parent federations, respite care, support groups, and other resources so that parents can grow their knowledge and their “village” while raising their children.
Extracurricular Activity Coordination
Children can begin to develop strong peer relationships, positive outlets for energy, and constructive usage of free time through engagement in extracurricular activities. However, these can sometimes be difficult for parents to access due to transportation, scheduling, finances and the like. TCMs can help clients and their parents identify extracurricular activities in their communities and can help smooth the way to have children participate by helping with subsidies, scholarships, and advocating for equal inclusion. TCMs can help arrange physicals for sports, getting clients into summer camps, and participating in activities available through schools, rec centers, and other community resources.
Contact
- 501 Forest Ave Portland, ME 04101, USA
- Tel.: +1 207-536-1590
- Mail : info@gatewaycommunityservice.org