Community-Based Services
How Our Services Help Children and Families
Each of our family-oriented, community-based services brings evidence-based and skill-based interventions right into the comfort of your home. Our sessions are crafted to help parents and youth learn the skills needed to change unhealthy behaviors and improve overall family dynamics. Every member of our CHA team is devoted to the safety, permanency, and well-being of both children and adults. Through assessment, diagnosis, therapy, service coordination, and skill development, we support mental health and foster positive change for every family we serve.
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Child ACTT
Child ACTT is a unique, technology-based, family-focused, complete multidisciplinary service with the mission of healing hurting children in their own homes and communities.
What services does the Child ACTT team provide?
Psychiatric Evaluation and Medication Management, Individual and Family Therapy, Health and Wellness Education, Nursing Evaluations, Planned Respite, Parent Skills Coaching, Care Coordination, and Crisis Response Services. Some children may qualify for ACTT Professional Foster Parenting options as available.
What are the eligibility requirements for Child ACTT?
Children must be between the ages of 12 to 18 years old. They must have a mental health diagnosis and must have qualifying Medicaid insurance or be willing to pay out-of-pocket.
How often does the Child ACTT team make contact?
Child ACTT is a highly individualized service that offers a combination of face-to-face, virtual, and technology integrated services to meet the daily needs of our clients. Therapy lasts 6-9 months and occurs 3-5 times a week in-person and virtually depending on the family’s needs and preferences.
Treatment Alternatives for Sexualized Kids (TASK)
TASK serves youth ages 8 to 20 years old and emphasizes the development of skills related to self-regulation, communication, healthy sexuality, family conflict, academic engagement, peer relations, and risk management.
What types of trauma do you address in your program?
We address sexual abuse, domestic violence, physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, grief, and more.
What is the average length of treatment and how is the program implemented?
Treatment lasts 9-12 months, and our program involves over three hours per week of individual, group, and family therapies, along with community support. These services are delivered in the youth’s normal environments, such as their home, school, and other community settings. We operate in rural, suburban, and urban areas, with up to eight clients per professional, collaborating with various agencies and supports.
Who are your clients and what age range do you serve?
We serve youth aged 6-22 with a history of sexual harm or dysregulation affecting their behavior. We help them develop skills in self-regulation, communication, healthy sexuality, managing family conflicts, improving school behavior, and handling peer relations and risk management.
Intensive In-Home
Intensive In-Home Services are available for youth and families facing challenging symptoms that are difficult to manage. These services are crucial when youth are at risk of out-of-home placement or when they need additional support for reunification or reintegration back into the home from a higher level of care.
What specific services are included in the Intensive In-Home program?
Our program includes crisis response and resolution, establishing stability in the home with an emphasis on keeping families together, skill building (interpersonal social skills, communication, intra-personal development, living skills, parenting skills, and more), and making connections to needed community resources for food, utilities, housing, clothing, and other presenting needs.
What is the average length of treatment, how often do families meet with the team, and who provides the interventions?
The average length of treatment is 4-6 months. Families meet with a member of the four-person intensive in-home team 3-4 times per week. A team of licensed therapists and qualified professionals provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy interventions.
Who is eligible for the program?
The program is designed for youth and families whose issues are unmanageable in outpatient, school-based, or behavioral program settings. It is also for youth at risk of (or currently in) an out-of-home placement, with reunification being imminent.
Catawba Valley Healthy Families
Catawba Valley Healthy Families is a voluntary home visitation program designed to empower parents to support their child(ren)’s healthy development. By establishing a nurturing and safe home environment, parents set and achieve goals specific to the hopes and dreams they have for their family.
How does Catawba Valley Healthy Families support families?
Upon enrolling, families are supported by a Family Support Specialist (FSS). This individual is qualified and experienced in understanding family concerns and parenting challenges and is trained to assist with all aspects of family life. The FSS provides current information on a wide variety of topics related to healthy child development, links to beneficial community resources, and encouragement as families work toward meeting their goals. Home visits are always scheduled at a time that is convenient for the family.
What specific topics will a Family Support Specialist cover with families?
Your FSS will share information to help:
- Recognize your baby’s needs
- Take care of your baby while you, the parent/caregiver, takes care of yourself
- Understand your baby’s development and know what to expect as the baby grows
- Foster your baby’s development using developmentally appropriate activities
- “Baby proof” your home to make it safe
Your FSS will also lend support and share information on issues such as:
- Effective discipline
- Community services to help meet the family’s goals and/or needs
- Employment
- Ways for new parents to continue their education
- Transportation
- Budgeting and finances
- Strengthening the relationship with a spouse/partner
Who can receive help and is there a cost involved?
This program is free of charge and is eligible for Burke County families expecting a baby, or who have an infant under 3 months of age. This program is designed to serve ALL parents, first-time or seasoned. The home visitor will work with the entire family, including older siblings. One or both parents (or primary caregivers) can choose to enroll in CVHF services, participation is voluntary. Families can remain enrolled until their child’s fifth birthday, though many families complete the program in three years.
Day Treatment
Our Day Treatment Program serves students of Iredell-Statesville Schools, ages 5 to 18, with the goal of helping them manage their behaviors and successfully transition back to a public-school setting. This program offers enhanced behavioral and therapeutic support by balancing educational and therapeutic needs.
What therapeutic interventions are included in the Day Treatment program?
The Day Treatment program incorporates group and individual therapy sessions with a licensed clinician. Students can also receive family sessions to address mental health needs and promote skills that can be reinforced in both school and home settings. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is the primary evidence-based treatment modality used to encourage emotion regulation, promote appropriate social skills, and enhance decision-making skills in a healthy and safe environment.
Who is eligible for the Day Treatment program and where are services provided?
The program serves children ages 5-18 in Iredell County. Services are provided in a public school environment, typically at an alternative school site. Referrals are made by school staff and authorized by the child’s insurance company, with the goal of equipping students with skills that will help them succeed when they transfer back into a traditional classroom. Eligibility includes students with a 504 plan or an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
What kind of support and staffing does the Day Treatment program offer?
Each treatment environment is staffed by a certified teacher, a qualified mental health professional, and a licensed clinician. Each site also has a program manager. The teachers, provided by the child’s school system, focus on academics, while the treatment staff addresses identified needs and deficits in behavior, social skills, self-regulation, and symptom management. Parent participation in team meetings, classroom events, and parent education/skill development opportunities is encouraged to support the entire family. The average length of treatment is 1-2 semesters.
Intensive Family Preservation
Our Intensive Family Preservation Services involve our staff working directly with families in their homes to resolve crises, establish stability, develop self-help and living skills, enhance parenting skills, and implement strategies to help children manage their behavior.
What kind of support does the Intensive Family Preservation program offer to families?
The Intensive Family Preservation program offers various services to support families, including:
- Mental health assessments and linking clients to recommended treatment Additionally, the program helps families connect to community resources for food, utilities, housing, clothing, and other needs. These services are primarily delivered to families in their home or community.
- Parenting skills building and direct practice
- Life skills building, such as budgeting, organizing, and positive communication skills
Who is eligible for the Intensive Family Preservation services and what is the focus of the program?
The services are provided to families involved with the Department of Social Services (DSS), Department of Public Safety, and Mental Health, with a focus on preventing disruption and out-of-home placement. The program is available in Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, and Transylvania counties.
How long do the Intensive Family Preservation services last and is there a cost involved?
The average length of treatment is 4 weeks. This program is a free service that is grant-funded, ensuring that families receive the support they need without any cost.
Healthy Transitions
Healthy Transitions is a program designed to support youth and young adults in Iredell County (ages 16-25) with mental health challenges as they navigate key life transitions, such as finishing school, starting a job, and/or living independently.
What services does the Healthy Transitions program offer and who is eligible?
The Healthy Transitions program offers youth peer support, family peer support, educational and vocational support, clinical assessment, and care coordination. It also provides opportunities for youth voices to be heard through various leadership initiatives. This program is open to youth and young adults, ages 16-25, who reside in Iredell County and are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, mental health challenges.
How much does it cost to receive services and how long can I stay in the program?
Healthy Transitions is a grant-funded program, so services are provided at no cost to you. The length of participation varies based on individual needs and goals. Together, we can create a plan that works for you!
Can I participate if I’m already seeing a therapist or counselor?
Yes! Healthy Transitions can complement existing services and work with your current providers to ensure a coordinated approach.
Intensive Intervention Services (IIS)
Intensive Intervention Services is a short-term, intensive crisis intervention program with services provided in the home or community to youth and families involved with the Department of Public Safety Division of Juvenile Justice.
What is the goal of the IIS program?
The goal of this program is to prevent commitment to Youth Detention Centers (YDCs) or to facilitate a juvenile’s successful return to the community following commitment. This is achieved through in-home services aimed at restoring families in crisis to an acceptable level of functioning, delivered within a System of Care framework.
What services does the IIS program offer?
The IIS program provides comprehensive family assessments, social and interpersonal skill building, client advocacy, and parenting skills development. These services aim to stabilize crises, ensure safety, and help families develop the skills and resources needed to handle future situations effectively
Meet Chloe
After three years of moving between foster care, group homes, psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTF), and hospitalizations, 17-year-old Chloe finally returned home. It was a challenging time for her family. Upon her arrival, Chloe was still verbally and physically aggressive and at risk of self-harm.
The Child ACTT Multidisciplinary Team quickly stepped in to support Chloe and her family. They helped Chloe develop self-control skills and taught her family how to support her during difficult times. Additionally, the family received Christmas gifts, bunk beds for the children who had been sleeping on the floor, clothing, and food. They are also working towards securing stable housing.
Today, after three months of participating in the Child ACTT service, Chloe is doing well. She is enrolled in a GED program at her local community college and has lost 15 pounds due to changes in her medication. “I’m glad I came home with Child ACTT,” Chloe said. “If I would have stayed at the PRTF or was sent to another residential placement, I would have just acted out because I wanted to go home.”
Child’s name and photo have been changed for her protection, but her story is very real
Therapy Gets Results
On average, children and caregivers administered the TOP assessment at Children’s Hope Alliance reported fewer conduct problems. The domain score average associated with these behaviors indicates 67% improvement.*
*Data collected via TOP Assessment since June 2017 and percentages are based on change in domain score average