Children’s Mobile Response & Stabilization System
(CMRSS)
SERVICE
Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization System (CMRSS)
services are aimed at ensuring the safety and well being of children,
youth and their families/caregivers facing crisis situations as
a result of escalating behaviors that may risk disruption of a
child or youth’s current living arrangements. CMRSS provides
immediate crisis response on-site and coordinates subsequent stabilization
services to children, youth, their families, and caregivers.
ADMISSION CRITERIA
The target groups are children ages 5-18 located in Essex and
Middlesex County who exhibit emotional or behavioral disturbance
and youth up to age 21 in Essex and Middlesex Counties County
who are/have been involved with the child welfare, mental health,
and/or the juvenile justice systems. Particular effort is made
to serve children with difficulties in foster care placement,
children deemed not appropriate for inpatient care upon psychiatric
screening, and children with histories of mental health/behavioral
problems that are currently encountering exacerbation of symptoms.
ACCESS
Referrals are made to and through the Division of Child Behavioral
Health Services’ (DCBHS) Contracted Systems Administrator
(CSA) at 877-652-7624. CSA Care Coordinators triage the calls
and forward them to the program’s mobile response workers
24/7.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment of the crisis occurs using the DCBHS Crisis Assessment
Tool (CAT) along key parameters including risk behaviors, behavioral/emotional
symptoms, functioning, involvement with juvenile justice, child
protection, caregiver needs and strengths. An Individualized Crisis
Plan (ICP) is developed based on the findings of the CAT which
then directs the strategies/interventions and services engaged
on the client/family’s behalf.
CARE
Initial CMRSS services are provided over a 72-hour period with
the immediate and direct clinical interventions of mobile response
staff. Continued services to de-escalate the crisis as required
for up to an additional eight weeks beyond the initial response
period are coordinated by the CMRSS as part of stabilization management.
During that time, affiliated community-based providers of Intensive
In-Community and/or Behavioral Assistance Services engage in targeted
interventions with the child/family to stabilize the situation
as directed by the CMRSS ICP’s. As part of its service,
CMRSS may access and utilize crisis beds for 1-7 days, in order
to provide necessary respite for child/family as part of crisis
de-escalation.
DISCHARGE
Referral to address ongoing service needs beyond the crisis may
be made at any point during CMRSS service, and are incorporated
in the discharge At-Risk Crisis Plan (ARCP) in order to ensure
continuity of care and prevent reoccurrence of future crisis events
or behavioral problems. Determination of the appropriate post
crisis disposition may involve: referral and transition to stabilization
services; referral and connection to community resources; termination
of service when the situation is stabilized by crisis response
and additional services are not required.
|
