May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We recently spoke Peter (MA Ed., LCMHCA), an Intensive In-Home team lead, who shared a story about a 15-year old he recently treated.
Easterseals UCP provides comprehensive assessments to determine the most effective evidenced-based approach to improve the mental health and wellness of the young people we support. We meet young people and their families where they are in their journey and use motivational interviewing strategies to assess their readiness for changes.
“I still clearly remember one of the 15-year teens we supported. He was truant from school and frequently engaged in risky behaviors. After going through treatment with Easterseals UCP, his family learned better parenting skills and obtained access to community supports. Today, this young man is working towards becoming a firefighter with his local Volunteer Fire Department. He is also attending school with minimal absences. I am so proud of him. He worked hard to achieve the goal he created. He wanted to contribute to his community and be a part of something bigger than himself.” says Peter.
Our Intensive In-Home program is a community-based program that uses an evidence-based model to work with youth who are five to 20 years old. We help stabilize and manage their mental health symptoms, improve their home life, improve their performance at school and help prevent psychiatric hospitalization or out-of-home placement.
The program is a six-month partnership between our mental health team and families, to first understand then address troublesome behaviors or psychiatric and emotional struggles. In addition to weekly child, parent and family counseling, IIH teams are on-call 24 hours each day to provide crisis assistance. Support can target substance use by addressing family dynamics and mental health symptoms that contribute to substance use. Interventions are also put in place to assist caregivers with identifying ways to better manage symptoms and behaviors.
To learn more about our mental health services for youth, go to https://eastersealsucp.com/mental-health-for-youth/.
ABOUT EASTERSEALS UCP
Easterseals UCP and PORT Health are trustworthy, compassionate partners providing exceptional disability, behavioral health and addiction treatment services to help our neighbors live their best lives. Purpose, dedication and empathy drive our in-person and telehealth service delivery. Our diverse and inclusive 2,600 member team provides more than 10.2 million hours of meaningful support to 40,200 kids, adults and families in 11,000 home, facility and community locations across North Carolina and Virginia. Learn more at eastersealsucp.com.
