Short-Term Assessment Services

Child Service Pics and more 088Purpose: 

To develop a comprehensive assessment through multiple evaluations, observations, and monitoring of youth in a structured setting, resulting in a report with recommendations for services that will address identified family and individual youth needs, as well as a recommendation regarding the appropriate level of care for the youth upon discharge from the Short-Term Assessment service.  This service is generally utilized when there is insufficient information known about a youth placed in the custody of a child welfare agency,  but it has been determined that the youth’s needs cannot be met by emergency foster care.  The average length of stay for a child placed for Short-Term Assessment services is 45 days.

Treatment Procedure: 

Relevant assessment tools are used to identify specific areas of strength and need for the youth.  These assessment tools may include, but are not limited to:  a psychological evaluation, a chemical dependency evaluation, educational evaluations, a physical examination, a family evaluation, a behavioral needs assessment, and a strength-based assessment.  The treatment team, including all SHCS staff, monitors and documents observations of the child’s behavior on a daily basis.

Youth placed for Short-Term Assessment services are provided a minimum of 3 individual and/or family counseling sessions weekly.  The family sessions provide an opportunity to observe and intervene in family system dynamics.