This service assists adults and children with a mental health diagnosis or addictive disorder to gain skills or access resources needed to function optimally in the community. Services for adults are based on a recovery model and assist the individual in setting goals and utilize their strengths to increase independence and quality of life. Interventions assist individuals with the management of symptoms, accessing community resources and in developing relapse prevention strategies and plans. Services for children and adolescents focus on the skills needed to be successful at school, in the community and in their home. Community support staff will often engage families, teachers and other natural supports to assist the child in identifying emotional triggers and to self-manage behaviors.

Child Protection Services - Assess the level of risk to children by conducting face to face interviews with alleged child victims and their caretakers. Other activities may include working with law enforcement and physically removing children from caretakers if the child is found by the Courts to be at risk in the home. This will also include testifying in Court as to the level of risk to children that are placed in the agency’s legal custody. Foster Care – As the child’s case manager the main responsibility is to ensure the child has a permanent stable family situation within as short a time as possible. This involves many things: visits to foster homes; supervising visits between children and their parents; testifying in Court regarding the status of the agency and/or parent’s progress towards the court approved placement.

I provided Brief Intervention to clients that were referred by DFCS. I facilitated Domestic Violence groups, Parenting classes, Anger Management groups and Substance Abuse groups. I also participated on an Intensive Family Intervention (IFI) team. I administered drug screens, both instant and hair follicle tests. Occasionally I was required to transport clients. I completed weekly documentation and maintained client case files until case was completed.