Options For Independence's Children's Services Program employees follow the policies and procedures set forth in the Options For Independence main policy manual in addition to those set forth in this program-specific manual.

Philosophy : Children's Services is designed to provide a vast array of specialized mental health services in homes, in the community and in schools to a child population at risk of hospitalization and/or residential placement. The belief is that within a moderate amount of time, the psychosocial stressors leading to family and school support breakdown can be reduced allowing the child to remain in the least restrictive setting. Coherent team approaches with intense application of social supports and medical and psychosocial therapies on a consistent need basis twenty-four (24) hours a day will rapidly reduce destructive patterns. The program should shore-up support systems and educate significant persons in the child's life about mental health producing plans and actions. Ultimately supportive services will be primarily provided in the community, and the community will become the supportive network for the child.

Mission Statement : Children's Services will provide psychiatric rehabilitation, wraparound and clinical services in the home, community and school. There will be a strong role for the family as a member of the treatment team. Each child's plan will be developed to fit the individual needs of the child with emphasis on keeping the child participating in as normal a setting as possible. Emphasis will be on retaining the child in this natural home setting. The child's environment will be manipulated to provide a safe, secure, supportive setting comparable to that of a hospital but within the cultural and social setting of the child's community. Services will be focused to strategic locations such as the child's home, his classroom, his play areas, his social network and his points of conflict.