Children’s Mental Health Care Coordination Program - Overview

The Children’s Mental Health Care Coordination Program is a network of community‐based services and supports that is youth‐guided and family‐driven to produce individualized, evidence‐based, culturally and linguistically competent outcomes that improve the lives of children and their families. Section 394.491,  Florida Statute, outlines guiding principles for child and adolescent mental health treatment and support systems.  Consistent with these principles, children and adolescents receive services within the least restrictive and most normal environment appropriate to meet their individual clinical and behavioral needs. In addition to offering traditional Case Management and therapies, Lutheran Services Florida Health Systems (LSFHS) implements the Family Services Planning  Team  (FSPT)  and the Child and  Family  Staffing  (CFS) program models to offer care coordination and non‐traditional supports to children and families in need of more intensive mental health treatment.  These services are offered by contracted Network Service Providers (NSP) throughout the Region.  The Children's Home Society of Florida is the NSP for the Clay, Duval, and Nassau county region.

Family Service Planning Team (FSPT) - Overview

The FSPT process is designed to be a child‐centered, family‐focused, and community‐based program that funds less traditional therapeutic services for children living in the community to divert them from residential placement. Through participation in the FSPT process, families are able to access services such as therapeutic camps, behavior analyst services, therapeutic friends or mentors, and specialized therapies that would not be covered under the child’s insurance plan. The FSPT team is a multidisciplinary group of professionals that engages the child and parents or other caregivers to consider the strengths and needs of the child and family. These teams work together with the family to strategize ways for youth to remain at home or to return home from a residential treatment setting as soon as possible.

Child and Family Staffing (CFS) - Overview

The  CFS  process facilitates the placement of youth into residential treatment when a child is recommended for this level of care by a physician. The CFS team is comprised of all individuals involved with the child and family  (i.e. AHCA, legal guardian,  treating provider, Department of  Juvenile  Justice, any school representative(s), family advocate, Managed Care Organizations, or other persons invited by the youth and family). The CFS team provides information and support to facilitate the child’s admission into residential treatment.  The  CFS  team monitors the child’s progress while in residential treatment and ensures recommended services are in place when a youth is discharged. 

Referrals for FSPT

LSFHS has contracted with Network Service Providers (NSP) in each Circuit to coordinate both of the processes described above. For Circuit 4 the NSP is the Children's Home Society of Florida which serves the counties of Clay, Duval, and Nassau in Northeast Florida.

• Families seeking assistance through the FSPT process must obtain a Targeted Case Manager (TCM) or Wraparound Coordinator (WC) to assist them with the referral process.

• Persons seeking to have a child placed in the Statewide Inpatient Psychiatric Program (SIPP) are required to have a TCM or WC in place before coming to FSPT.

All FSPT referrals can be emailed to the FSPT Facilitator’s office at FSPT.Circuit4@chsfl.org. Upon receipt of the referral, contact will be made within 48 hours to notify the party of the date and time of the FSPT staffing. Sessions will be facilitated by the Children's Home Society of Florida staff.

The FSPT Facilitator’s office or the TCM will be responsible for notifying families of the initial date and time of the staffing. The FSPT Facilitator’s office will ensure all members of the team, including the TCM, school personnel, mental health professionals, etc. are present and engaged in the child’s case to ensure effective and timely progress.

Locations

Please contact the Children's Home Society of Florida for information pertaining to FSPT and CFS meeting arrangements. Inquiries can be emailed to FSPT.Circuit4@chsfl.org

Staffing Agenda Schedules

Please contact the Children's Home Society of Florida for information pertaining to FSPT and CFS meeting arrangements. Inquiries can be emailed to FSPT.Circuit4@chsfl.org

FSPT / CFS Contact Information

Office phone: 904-493-7744

Email: FSPT.Circuit4@chsfl.org

FSPT Eligibility

Primary Eligibility Requirements:

In order to be eligible for FSPT services, the Network Service Provider shall ensure that the child meets the following eligibility criteria:  

1. Are  eligible  for  publicly  funded  substance  abuse  and  mental  health  services  pursuant  to  s. 394.674, F.S.; For Children’s mental health services: 

a. Children who are at risk of an emotional disturbance;

b. Children who have an emotional disturbance;

c. Children who have a serious emotional disturbance; and

d. Children diagnosed as having a co‐occurring substance abuse and emotional disturbance or serious emotional disturbance;

2. Has an IQ of 70 or higher; individuals with an IQ below 70 will be considered on a case‐by‐case basis.

3. Does not meet criteria for Autism, Intellectual Disability, or Pervasive Developmental Delay as a primary diagnosis or area of concern;

4. Are not in foster care and does not have an open case with DCF/CBC oversight;

5. Are participating with a community mental health provider but the provider has determined that outpatient services covered by insurance are not effective in resolving the child’s behaviors;

6. Are willing to participate in a family‐driven process that ensures all least restrictive measures have been exhausted before pursuing residential treatment; and

7. Are willing to participate in non‐traditional therapeutic services.

In order to be eligible for CFS services, the Network Service Provider shall ensure that the youth meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Has documented exhaustion of all least restrictive community services; 

2. Has been recommended for residential treatment by a physician (a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist);

3. Has  been  assessed  and  diagnosed  as  being  emotionally  disturbed  by  a  psychiatrist  or  clinical psychologist who has specialty training and experience with children, per s. 394.4781, F.S., and who meet the following criteria, per Chapters 65E‐9 and 65E‐10, F.A.C.:

a. Be under the age of 18;

b. Currently assessed (within 90 days prior to placement) by a psychologist or a psychiatrist licensed  to  practice  in  the  State  of  Florida,  with  experience  or  training  in  children’s disorders; who attests, in writing, that: 

i. The child has an emotional disturbance as defined in Section 394.492(5), F.S., or a serious emotional disturbance as defined in Section 394.492(6), F.S.;

ii. The  emotional  disturbance  or  serious  emotional  disturbance  requires treatment in a residential treatment setting;

iii. A less restrictive setting than residential treatment is not available or clinically recommended;

iv. The  treatment  provided  in  the  residential  treatment  setting  is reasonably likely  to  resolve  the  child’s  presenting  problems  as  identified  by  the psychiatrist or psychologist; and

v. The nature, purpose, and expected length of treatment have been explained to the child and the child’s parent or guardian.