Maryland’s Continuum of Care
Maryland’s Continuum of Care
Communities provide different types of treatment programs and services for children and adolescents with mental health needs. The complete range of programs and services is referred to as the continuum of care. The continuum ranges from the least intensive to the most intensive. Some services specifically address the needs of children at different ages. Not every community has every type of service or program on the continuum. Eligibility requirements vary from service to service.
The following is a brief description of the different services or programs in a continuum of care:
Office or Clinic Outpatient services – Visits are usually 20–50 minutes. A mental health professional may do an assessment and make a diagnosis. Based on the diagnosis, ongoing individual, group or family therapy may be recommended. If medication has been prescribed, medication is monitored during outpatient office visits. The number of visits per month depends on the child’s needs.
Early childhood mental health services – Mental health/behavioral services are provided for young children ages birth to five years old by therapeutic preschool programs or infant and toddler programs through the local school system. Additionally, mental health consultation is available for day-care providers who may request assistance with caring for a child with mental health/behavioral needs.
Special Education Services – Children and youth who have been determined “emotionally disabled” by their school system may receive intensive counseling and behavioral services in school through special education. The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may include counseling as part of the child’s educational services.
Transition-age Youth Services – Services such as supported employment or supported education assist youth and young adults with mental health needs ages 16–24 to gain independence and transition to adulthood.
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program Services (PRP) – PRP is a range of services that reduce behavioral problems while promoting strength-based, age-appropriate social skills and integration of the child into the community.
Intensive Case Management – A case manager assists families in gaining access to the full range of mental health services, as well as any additional necessary medical, social, financial assistance, counseling, educational, housing and other supports.
Home-based Treatment Services – A team of specially trained staff goes into a home and develops a treatment program to help the child and family.
Family Support Services – Services to help families care for their child, such as peer support, parent training, parent support group, etc.
Day Treatment Program – Intensive treatment that provides psychiatric services along with special education. The child usually attends five days per week.
Partial Hospitalization (Day Hospital) – Provides all the services of a psychiatric hospital, but the patients go home each evening.
Emergency Crisis Services – 24-hour-per-day services for emergencies (for example, hospital emergency room, mobile crisis team).
Respite Care Services – A child or youth with mental health/behavioral needs stays briefly away from home with specially trained individuals, or someone comes into the home to give the caregivers a break and provide the child with enhanced support.
Residential Rehabilitation Program (RRP) – Supported living in the community for transition-age youth.
Therapeutic Group Home or Community Residence – This therapeutic program usually includes six to 10 children or adolescents per home, and may be linked with a day treatment program or specialized educational program.
Residential Treatment Center – Children or youth with serious and complex mental health needs receive intensive and comprehensive psychiatric treatment in a campus-like setting 24 hours per day on a longer-term basis.
Hospital Treatment – Children or youth receive comprehensive psychiatric treatment in a hospital. Treatment programs should be specifically designed for either children or adolescents. Length of stay is usually three to seven days. On discharge, children may attend a partial hospitalization program.
Services for children and youth have expanded dramatically in the last decade. Unfortunately, many of these services are only available in some jurisdictions and may be limited to children who have Medicaid. Check with the Core Service Agency (CSA) in your jurisdiction to see what services are available in your community. The CSA is responsible for oversight of mental health services in each jurisdiction. To find the CSA where you live, go to www.dhmh.maryland.gov/mha/miscellaneous/csa/macsa _directory.pdf.
