The Brief Intervention Treatment and Evaluation (B.I.T.E.) and Brief Intervention Programs provide “quicker” solutions focused treatment and psychoeducation support for children, youth, and their families. Many of the families served by these programs are trying to cope with one or more mental health disorder or challenges including anxiety, hyperactivity, oppositional and compulsive behaviors, and other behavioral challenges.
There are two primary treatment services within the Brief Services Program:
Brief Solution Focused Individual Treatment (1-3 sessions)
Clinics: Designed to help families develop skills and behavior management strategies to support children/youth at home. The goal of these groups is to enhance parenting skills specific to the challenges caused by your child/youth’s mental health concerns, reduce parenting stress, and improve the overall function of your family.
Goals and Principles:
- Collaboration with families to provide services and build on families strengths
- Deliver services in an effective, fair, inclusive, and culturally respectful way
- Respect diversity of race, culture, ethnicity, gender, age, abilities, gender identify, religion, and sexual orientation
- Offer interventions based on research and evidence proven to be effective
In the event that more intensive services are needed, an internal referral will be made.
What to Expect if placed in Family Intervention
Family Intervention is a family focused counseling service that assists children and youth who are exhibiting difficulties at home, school, and or in the community due to social, emotional, or behavioral struggles. Many of the families who are in this program are often coping with one or more mental health disorder or challenge such as: Conduct Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders (Depression, Psychosis, Bipolar are the most common), Tourette Syndrome, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Stress or Sexual Behavior Problems.
*There is often a waiting list for this program. Clinical Managers will prioritize cases where there is a risk of serious self-harm or violence.
The Goals and Principles of the Family Intervention Program are to:
- provide services alongside families that build upon strengths
- deliver services in ways that are effective, fair, inclusive, respectful, and culturally respectful
- respect diversity of race, culture, ethnicity, gender, age, abilities, gender identity, religion, and sexual orientation
- Offer strategies based on research and evidence proven to be effective
- Take a collaborative approach. Therapy will only be successful when the child/youth, family, and therapist work together.
Treatment program options offered through Family Intervention include:
- Individual and family therapy
- Group therapy for families, children, and youth
- Workshops and presentations
- Case Management
- Case Consultation
- Specialized Services: Sexual Treatment Outpatient Program (STOP); Anxiety Clinic; Collaborative Problem Solving Solutions Clinic (CPS)
The process for Family Intervention:
- When referred to the Family Intervention Program, families will be assigned a therapist who is familiar with the concerns the family wished to address.
- After the first meeting, a treatment plan will be developed with the therapist, child/youth, and family that will identify goals and timelines.
- A copy of this plan will be provided to the client and their family.
- Every 90-days your child/youth’s treatment plan will be reviewed and updated as needed.
Upon completion, a summary report will be provided with recommendations if any futher therapy is needed