Child Mental Health Project (Hope for Children II and Children's Mental Health Services III)

From: Triangle Family Services

Need: Families in crisis often lack the means to access and pay for professional services. At least one in five children and adolescents has a mental health disorder, and at least one in ten has a serious emotional disturbance. Violence in the home is a major concern and one of the leading causes of chronic stress in children. Records indicate that 75% of domestic violence offenders ordered to treatment in Wake County are fathers of children less than 12 years of age.

Purpose: The primary purpose of the Child Mental Health Project will be to provide the highest quality mental health treatment services to children in Wake County who would otherwise not receive these services because of their uninsured or underinsured status.

Target Population: Approximately 65 children will be treated each year, receiving a total of 780 mental health treatment sessions.

How: TFS will use evidence-based, proven therapies to combat mental illness in Wake County children. Specifically, TFS will provide the following key services to children:

  1. Full psychological assessment
  2. Psychiatric assessment
  3. Individual and group therapy, including play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and trauma focused therapy
  4. Family therapy
  5. Medication management
  6. Case management

Outcomes:

  1. At least 70% of those receiving mental health and psychiatric services will show significant improvement in their level of functioning as measured by at least a five point increase in Global Assessment of Functioning score from beginning to termination of services
  2. At least 90% of parents of the children completing treatment will report improvement in their child's level of functioning and satisfaction with the progress made toward treatment goals
  3. Increase in diversity of funding sources over the next two years resulting in no further funding requests to the Endowment for these programs

Cost / Term: $165,853 over two years. $96,025 in Year 1.

Start - End Date: March 2009 - February 2011