Adolescent emotional health and substance abuse services provide integrated outpatient behavioral health and addictive disorders services for children 5 through 17 years and their families to improve overall functioning.
- Children’s Behavioral Health
- ASCEND – Applied Behavior Analysis Program
- School Based Behavioral Health
- Substance Use/Abuse Prevention Services
- Nurse-Family Partnership
Children’s Behavioral Health
Children’s Behavioral Health (CBH) provides outpatient behavioral health and addictive disorders services for youth ages 5-18 and their families to improve overall functioning. Our trained staff helps families manage the many issues causing or arising from a child’s emotional and/or substance abuse problems. Our team also serves children with developmental disabilities and/or makes referrals to our developmental disabilities division. We work to ensure service coordination with other child-serving agencies. Getting help early prevents lifelong difficulties.
The key services we provide for our Children’s Behavioral Health clients include:
- Information and referral to satellite offices near your area
- Screening and assessments
- Medication evaluations and management
- Psychological testing
- Family therapy
- Parent peer support
- Substance abuse prevention
- Interagency service coordination
- Education/counseling for emotional disorders and substance abuse
- Discharge planning, aftercare services and case management
- Education/counseling for emotional disorders and substance abuse
School Based Behavioral Health
Clinical services for behavioral health problems are offered in schools, providing therapeutic interventions and medication management, focusing on reducing absenteeism, suspensions, expulsions, and improving grades.
Services are provided during school hours. The child must be enrolled in the school where treatment is given and referred by the school or parent and meet CAHS admission criteria.
The key services we provide for our School Based clients include:
- Individual, family and group counseling
- Referral to community services
- Parent support groups
- Crisis consultation/intervention
- Educational presentations on topics relevant to child/adolescent behavior
- Behavioral/psychological treatment
- Emotional, social and relationship or attachment therapy
- Home visits
- Parenting support
- School consultations
- Discharge planning, aftercare services and case management
Mental Health Services Are Provided At These Schools Around Our Region
- Central Primary
- Donaldsonville High
- East Ascension High
- Gonzales Middle
- Broadmoor Elementary
- Capitol Elementary
- Dufrocq Elementary
- Greenbrier Elementary
- Highland Elementary
- La Belle Aire Elementary
- Magnolia Woods Elementary
- Jackson Elementary
- Dorseyville Elementary
- Plaquemine High
- Valverda Elementary
- Cohn Elementary
- Port Allen High
- Port Allen Middle
ASCEND | Accelerated Supports for a Child’s Evolving Neurodevelopment
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a medical condition that impacts a child’s normal development of the brain and affects talking, thinking, and interacting with others in leisure, learning, and play activities More than 40% of people with ASD have difficulty speaking. Although there is no cure, a child who receives specialized services, such as applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, can make great strides.
Why Children Diagnosed With Autism Need Services
It is now known that one in 44 children are diagnosed with autism. Many children with a developmental disability are not identified until after entering school. Early intervention (before school age) can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to learn new skills as well as reduce the need for costly interventions throughout life.
ASCEND stands for Accelerated Supports for a Child’s Evolving NeuroDevelopment. It offers comprehensive therapy to children ages 2 to 5 years who have been professionally diagnosed with autism. The program is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Based on a thorough assessment, the treatment team will be assembled around the child’s individual needs. Goals and objectives for the child will be created. Although the child is the primary focus of services, it is also recognized that the health of the family unit is important to the child’s well-being.
Facts About Autism Services in The Greater Baton Rouge Area
Based on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, we know that at least 500 preschool children are estimated to have autism in this region and many lack the resources to get comprehensive services to achieve the greatest benefits. There is a great need for specialized services for these children.
The Capital Area Human Services agency’s Division of Development Disabilities has created a new program to address the unmet needs of these children and their families. Capital Area Human Services is a trusted service behavioral health and developmental disabilities provider to children and adults in a seven-parish region.
What Is the Ascend Program? Who Is Eligible?
Who Can Diagnose Autism?
The diagnosis must be completed by a qualified professional who is practicing within their scope of expertise and has at least two years of experience in the differential diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and co-morbid disorders. The qualified professional must be a licensed clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician, or pediatric neurologist.
How Do Our Treatment Teams Work with Children Individually?
Goals and objectives will be created by the team for each child in the program. Children in the ASCEND program are served by various specialists specific to a child’s needs and may include Applied Behavior Analysts, Registered Line Technicians (RLTs) and Psychologists.
Medicaid and Private Insurance Accepted
Capital Area Human Services accepts Medicaid and most private insurance as payment for services provided by the ASCEND therapy program.
Insurance copays, deductibles, and coinsurance are due at the time of service unless acceptable payment arrangements are made.
Please call our billing office at 225-925-1906 for service coverage and benefits for private insurance. Fees are assessed for uninsured clients requesting services based on their ability to pay according to our policy.
No one will be denied access to services due to an inability to pay. A sliding fee scale is available based on family size and income.
How Do I Get More Information About Enrolling My Child In ASCEND?
Substance Use/Abuse Prevention Services
Prevention Services – School-based prevention curriculums, community-based programs, and summer programs are provided to prevent substance use among youth and promote a healthy lifestyle among families in the region.
Nurse-Family Partnership
Maternal and early childhood health program provides first-time moms with home visits made by a specially trained registered nurse and an Infant and Early Childhood mental health specialist. Home visits are throughout the pregnancy and until the baby turns two years old.
Mon – Fri: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. by appointment.
Phone: 225-663-6229
Services are provided in the home.