CHILD AND FAMILY GUIDANCE CENTER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES*
The Child and Family Guidance Center provides mental health services to children and their families. Services are provided at four sites in the San Fernando Valley communities of Northridge and North Hills, and at one site in the Antelope Valley community of Palmdale. The Center also provides mental health services at school sites, in clients’ homes, and in collaboration with many social service agencies.
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND ANTELOPE VALLEY OUTPATIENT SERVICES
Outpatient services are available in English and Spanish and include individual, family, and group therapy; psychiatric evaluation and medication management; rehabilitation and skill building; and case management services.
1. Individual, Family, and Group Therapy services are provided based on each individual child’s needs. The Center utilizes a variety of highly effective evidence-based practices (EBPs) in outpatient programs:
• Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)
CPP is an intervention for parents and young children, birth-5 years of age, who have experienced one or more traumas. CPP focuses on supporting healthy child development and restoring a nurturing child-parent relationship when it has been disrupted by trauma such as child abuse or domestic violence.
• Crisis Oriented Recovery System (CORS)
CORS is a brief intervention (six sessions or less) for children/youth ages 3-18 and adults who have experienced a crisis within the last 30 days. The therapist assists the child/family in returning to their previous level of functioning. Once stabilized, the child/family may be assigned to another treatment program.
• Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
FFT is an intensive, short-term, in-home family treatment program for youth, ages 11-17 who are exhibiting severe defiant and/or aggressive behaviors. FFT focuses on reducing negativity and blame; increasing hope; improving positive communication; and addressing relational patterns within the family that contributes to the behavior.
• Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT)
I-CBT is an early intervention for teens and adults who exhibit or are at risk for symptoms caused by past trauma such as anxiety and depression. CBT teaches skills to enable individuals to be aware of thoughts and emotions; identify how situations, thoughts, and behaviors influence emotions; and improve feelings by changing dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors.
• Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP)
MAP is designed for children/youth, age 3-18, who are exhibiting emotional and behavioral problems. MAP is not a specific approach to treatment but rather a model for treatment decision-making. Clinicians have access to the most current clinical protocols and measurement tools via an online database. While the MAP approach applies to a broad spectrum of problems, the Center targets anxiety, depression, and disruptive behaviors.
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND ANTELOPE VALLEY OUTPATIENT SERVICES
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
PCIT is a hands-on treatment approach designed to help children with significant behavioral problems (i.e., tantrums, whining, not listening, anxiety, etc.). The program consists of having the parent and the child in a small room, the parent has a microphone in their ear, and the therapist is observing them from a two way mirror. The therapist coaches the parent on how to actively participate in, praise, and reflect the child’s play and ignore unwanted behavior. The goals of the program include enhancement of the parent/child bond; improvement of parenting skills; increased compliance with parental directives; and a decrease in behavioral problems.
• Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)
Triple P is parenting education and support for families with children/youth age 1 to 16 years. Triple P is designed to reduce and prevent behavioral problems by focusing on the development of positive relationships, attitudes, skills, and conduct. Caregivers are offered tools and taught strategies to help them effectively manage and discipline misbehavior, practice self-care, and develop realistic expectations for their children and themselves.
• Seeking Safety (SS)
SS is designed for youth, age 13-18, and adults who are struggling with a history of trauma, exhibiting impulsive and high risk behaviors, and/or abusing substances. SS focuses on establishing safety and discontinuing substance abuse through, psycho-education, building positive coping skills, and providing needed linkages.
• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TFCBT)
TF-CBT is intended for children, age 3-18, who are experiencing significant emotional and behavioral difficulties related to traumatic life events. TF-CBT incorporates psycho-education, parenting, relaxation training, affect modulation, cognitive process of the trauma, writing of a trauma narrative, and enhancement of safety and social skills. The treatment includes individual parent and child sessions followed by conjoint parent-child sessions.
2. Client Caregiver/Adult Services
The Center offers time-limited individual and group therapy services utilizing evidence- based practices for client parents and caregivers who are experiencing their own mental health challenges, including depression, relationship conflicts, and recovery from a recent major life stressor.
3. Community Resource Services (CRS)
CRS provides intensive in-home case management services through collaboration with the treatment team. Services entail an in-home assessment of the family’s strengths and needs; formulation of an individualized case management plan; linkage to community resources; and school advocacy. In addition, CRS offers a specialized case management program for high school age youth focused on transition planning; linkage to vocational training, college, and employment resources; and school placement assistance and advocacy.
4. Crisis Program
The crisis program provides short-term, intensive treatment to stabilize a crisis situation and to improve the client’s ability to benefit from outpatient treatment services. Crisis situations include suicidal and/or homicidal behavior, recent psychiatric hospitalization, witnessing a traumatic event, experiencing an acute trauma (e.g., rape, death of a loved one, etc.), severe PTSD symptoms, and other situations requiring immediate services.
5. Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Services
Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Services are a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to care management and coordination. These services aim to address the physical, behavioral health, and social service needs of vulnerable children and families. Through ECM, care is provided in a holistic manner, ensuring that all aspects of a person’s well-being are considered and managed effectively. This approach helps to ensure that vulnerable populations receive the support and resources they need to improve their overall health and quality of life.
6. Full Service Partnership (FSP)
The FSP Program provides intensive in-home treatment services to high risk children/youth, ages 1-22, and their families, in the San Fernando Valley and children/youth, age 1-22, in the Antelope Valley. FSP targets children and youth who exhibit high risk behaviors and may be at risk of placement in a higher level of care. FSP uses a team approach and includes individual/family in-home therapy, intensive case management, and psychiatric support services, as needed.
7. Mental Health Specialty Services (MHSS)
Mental Health Specialty Services (MHSS) is designed for children and youth who require coaching and support for the management of disruptive behaviors. MHSS provides skill building to children and youth and their families by educating and coaching clients to utilize behavioral interventions aimed at reducing challenging and disruptive behaviors. MHSS also offers parent support with maladaptive behaviors. MHSS can be provided within the home and school settings, depending on the behavioral need.
8. Outreach Services
Outreach services engage and educate community members through specialized mental health presentations including: suicide prevention trainings (safeTALK and ASIST), Youth Mental Health First Aid, health insurance enrollment and awareness events.
9. Parent Library
Parent Libraries are conveniently located near the Center’s waiting room for parents to learn more about their child’s emotional and developmental needs; identify tools to assist their child; and to locate needed resources for the family. Parent partners are available to help parents find videos and materials that address their mental health challenges. Parents are able to watch videos, read educational books and pamphlets, and/or relax and enjoy a cup of coffee.
10. Psychiatric Services
Child psychiatrists provide psychiatric services, including evaluation and medication monitoring.
11. School-Based Mental Health Services
The Center provides school-based mental health services on the campus of multiple schools throughout the San Fernando and Antelope Valleys. The Center offers individual, group, and family therapy as well as classroom consultation at elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the San Fernando and Antelope Valleys.
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS
1. California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs Program)
The CalWORKs program provides mental health services to adults receiving state-funded financial assistance. Services are focused on removing mental health barriers to help individuals return to employment or school.
2. Children’s Health: Outreach, Enrollment, Utilization, and Retention Services (CHOEUR)
Outreach staff inform, assist, and educate eligible clients and community members, with enrollment, utilization, and retention of low-cost health coverage for their families
3. Community Family Center (CFC)
CFC located in Park Parthenia Apartment complex in Northridge, offers a wide variety of bilingual (Spanish/English) supportive services, including parent education; health coverage enrollment, utilization, and retention; and CalFresh food application assistance.
