Children’s Mental Health Case Management Services assists children with severe and long-term mental health needs to receive health, social, school, educational, employment, and other necessary services. Children’s Mental Health Case Management is one way for parents to support healthy growth and development.
Case management connects children and families with mental health services, coordinates services, organizes a wrap-around team, and monitors the effectiveness of services as children grow and change. Meetings with a case manager may happen at home, school, office, or in community programs.
Children’s Needs
Children come from different families and life experiences. Sometimes the struggle to cope with these experiences create a need for special assessment, treatments, and supports. Families may need assistance when dealing with mental health issues that may arise with children in their care.
When to be Concerned:
Acting Out Behavior: Persistent violent behaviors, defiance, use of weapons, physical fighting, self-harm, and declining grades.
Withdrawing Behavior: Avoiding friends or other social contacts, change in sleep patterns, and refusal to go to school.
Signs of Depression: Crying spells, prolonged sadness, talk of suicide, irritability, change in appetite.
Chemical Use: Tobacco use, huffing (gas, hairspray, or other chemicals), alcohol, marijuana or other drugs, misuse of prescription medications.
Eating Disorders: Poor body image, preoccupation with weight loss, self-induced vomiting, or use of diuretics.
Other Behaviors: Inability to concentrate or pay attention, acting much younger than age, difficulty maintaining friendships, advanced sexual knowledge or behavior in young children.
Goals of Children’s Mental Health Case Management Services
- To provide comprehensive case management services to families with children with severe emotional disturbance.
- To offer support and guidance to children and families engaged in multiple systems of care.
- To empower children and families with the skills to succeed in school, home, and the community.
Case Management Services
- Assist families in pursuing improved and maintained functioning.
- Provide ongoing assessment of child and family needs.
- Assist families in accessing, coordinating, and monitoring community and family resources.
- Collaborate with parents and other service providers in the planning and delivery of services and interventions.
- In-home family guidance and supports specific to the individual needs of the child.
Eligibility
- A child with a diagnosis of severe emotional disturbance (SED) by a licensed mental health professional.
- Children and youth up to age 18 ( services may continue up to age 21 if child continues to attend school).
- A child who resides in Koochiching County.
If you are concerned about the development or mental health of a child and would like more information, contact Northland Counseling Center at 218-283-3406.
