New Services in Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, North Country and Southern Tier
Youth With Complex Mental Health Issues Will Receive One-on-One Support and Services To Provide Stability for the Child and Family
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced awards amounting to nearly $90 million over five years to help six providers across the state establish services that provide critical support to youth struggling with complex mental health issues. Administered by the State Office of Mental Health, the critical time transition program will serve youth between the ages of 11 and 17 to help them utilize one-on-one support, provide stability for the child and their family, and help the child avoid extended stays in emergency departments or psychiatric emergency programs.
“By investing in these programs, we can help more children with complex mental health issues get the services they need,” Governor Hochul said. “New York State is taking a new approach to this issue by providing one-on-one support options locally across the state and in some instances, in a home-like setting where they can receive the level of care they need as they recover.”
OMH awarded approximately $14.5 million over five years to each of the following six service providers, for a total of nearly $90 million across all of the providers. This includes $100,000 in start-up funding to each provider to help provide immediate support to get the program underway.
- Northeast Parent and Child in Schenectady County
- ACCESS CNY in Onondaga County
- Hillside in Monroe County
- Rehabilitation Support Services in Orange County
- Essex County ARC in Essex County
- Children's Home of Wyoming Conference in Broome County
These six service providers will use critical time intervention, an evidence-based practice that mobilizes support for individuals during periods of transition. These supports include mental health and behavioral treatment; interpersonal and rehabilitative skills training; vocational and educational planning; intensive family or caregiver education; coordination of all stakeholders and service providers; and, as needed, a transitional home-like environment to stay and receive support.
Each transitional residential setting will have space to accommodate up to eight youth. These residences will accommodate children for up to 120 days as they adjust their support systems and prepare to return to their community.
Families with youth who have complex needs and are enrolling them in outpatient programs may need additional support that is not immediately available. These families often find themselves relying on extended stays at hospitals while they are waiting for services and if they believe they cannot safely care for their children at home.
Children and teens having complex needs, including co-occurring developmental disabilities and mental health challenges, are more likely to experience discharge delays from higher levels of care waiting for the appropriate community services. Drawn out hospital stays can have a negative impact on outcomes for youth with complex behavioral needs, especially for ones that do not require this level of care.
The Healthcare Association of New York State recently highlighted these challenges in a report released in February, indicating that a survey of 52 hospitals in 2022 found that more than 500 individuals – including children – remained in hospitals for a month or more after they were ready for discharge. Among other recommendations, the report called for crisis respite transition programs for people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities, so they can readily access essential care as they wait for placement in outpatient programs.
The program model was created in close collaboration with other child-serving New York State agencies that are integral to solving this statewide issue. This includes the state Office of Children and Family Services, the State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the State Department of Education and the Council on Children and Families.
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