Coordinated Children's Services

CCS · NEXIS · MST

 

1081 Development Court, Kingston, New York 12401

Main Phone (845) 334-5050

Fax (845) 334-5090

 

Coordinated Children’s Services is a specialized, intensive treatment unit, funded by the Ulster County Department of Social Services in an effort to provide support to high-risk youth and families who might otherwise require lengthy and costly hospitalizations and/or placements outside of the home.  Services in Coordinated Children’s Services are directed toward augmenting parenting skills; improving mental health symptoms; reducing self-destructive, harmful and delinquent behavior; ameliorating neglect and abuse situations; promoting academic and pro-social functioning and strengthening family units.  Mental Health Services are cost-free and can include psychiatry and psychological testing. The mission is preservation of families, whenever possible.

 

CCS

CCS is a program unique to Ulster County, developed to stem the tide of youth entering residential facilities by supporting families in a collaborative approach to modify their adolescent’s behavior.  Often, referred teens are exhibiting behaviors and symptoms that are placing them at risk of PINS or JD adjudications and are creating worry and stress to those that love them.  Probation, Social Services and Mental Health staff are co-located within the Social Services complex in order to enhance effectiveness, communication and services for each child.  Contacts can also occur in the home, school and community so that support is provided where it is needed most.  Through timely assessment, prevention services, and by working closely with family systems, CCS has been able to achieve a 90% success rate in helping children reduce at-risk behaviors and avert out-of-home placement. 

 

NEXIS

NEXIS stands for “Neighborhoods Evolving by Connecting Individuals to Supports.”  It is a highly innovative program developed in 2004 as a family and community-based intervention model for families and children acting-out their emotions and behaviors associated with traumatic events in their lives.  A team of one therapist and one caseworker work together to support a family in the home with making environmental changes necessary for the child to develop new and better ways of calming her/himself in times of intense stress.  Referents can range from young children, to older adolescents (17 and under).  

 

MST

Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is an intensive family and community-based treatment program for chronic and seriously acting-out youth. MST recognizes that environmental systems play a critical role in a youth's world and   each system requires attention when effective change is needed to improve the quality of life for youth and their families.  In this model, a therapist is available multiple times throughout the week (even after-hours) to assist families and supports with managing and preventing crises.  MST is an evidence-based, short-term model (typically 4-5 months) that has shown to be effective with even the most challenging adolescents from the ages of 12-17.  Exclusions would be adolescents on the Autism Spectrum and youth with serious psychiatric needs.  MST Therapists will work collaboratively with outside providers.  Psychiatry is not available with MST.