Children’s Services
LifeSkills offers the most comprehensive array of services for children and their families that are available in the 10 county Barren River region. With over 70 full time employees dedicated to meeting the needs of children and families experiencing mental health issues we offer services ranging from routine outpatient therapy to intensive outpatient and residential services. Individual programs that service the specific needs of children are available in all 10 counties. LifeSkills Children’s services is the only organization in south central Kentucky with the ability to accommodate the often changing needs of children by allowing them to move seamlessly though various levels of care with the ultimate goal of maintaining the family system and avoiding out of home placement.
Initial appointments are available within
- 7 days for routine appointments,
- 3 days for urgent needs and
- Same day or a walk in basis for emergent situations.
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- School based services - Available in all 10 counties, LifeSkills offers individual, group, collateral, and consultation services in school systems to assist in improving the mental health of students and to decrease barriers to education that may be related to mental health issues.
- Sexual abuse victims - Available in all 10 counties, LifeSkills offers services to children that have endured sexual abuse.
- Young children age 0-5 years - Available in all 10 counties, LifeSkills offers individual, family, and collateral services to children and families of children age 0-5 years. Our Early Intervention Specialist works with children 0-5 years in Bowling Green and provides consultation to Child Care centers within the 10 county region.
- Sexually acting out children and teenagers – Available primarily in Bowling Green, LifeSkills offers a structured outpatient treatment program specific to the needs of children and adolescents that act out sexually. Services are provided by “approved providers” of the Department for Juvenile Justice and can be provided for adjudicated as well as non-adjudicated juveniles.
- Intensive outpatient therapy - Available in all 10 counties, LifeSkills offers intensive services (multiple services per week) with the goal of preventing out-of-home placement by teaching problem-solving skills, behavior strategies, normalization activities, and other treatment modalities.
- Psychiatric evaluation / monitoring – LifeSkills has several psychiatrists and psychiatric Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners on staff to provide psychiatric consultation, evaluation and medication monitoring to clients involved in other LifeSkills programs or services.
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IMPACT |
- Service Coordination –Case Managers link families to resources, provide support for parental education, collaborate with other agencies, act as advocates, and coordinate Service Team Meetings
- Parent support - LifeSkills family liaison provides educational and skill building materials during monthly Family Support Group, provides one-to-one parental support and skill building, develops quarterly informational newsletters, and coordinates yearly parent retreats that provide education, skill building, and supportive activities.
- Therapeutic Child Support - Involves planned therapeutic and mentoring activities structured around meeting individualized goals developed by the service team. Staff provide support and parental education for the child’s caregiver as determined by the service team.
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Therapeutic Foster Care |
- Foster placement – Certified Foster parents, specially trained to work with the needs of severely emotionally disturbed children, provide a foster care placement that does not require the parents to give up custody or rights regarding their children. TFC placement allows children to receive intensive mental health services while still residing in the community and attending public schools.
- Respite Care – Approved respite home providers offer a break for parents dealing with the demands of a child or children with special needs. Respite homes provide a safe and supportive home where children can go for brief periods (1-2 days generally) allowing parents and family some down time to take care of necessary tasks or just get a needed break.
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Crisis Stabilization |
- Crisis assessment and recommendation - The Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit is available 24 hour per day to provide crisis intervention in the form of assessment and recommendation. Staff will collect information and consult with licensed or certified clinicians to determine the most appropriate action to be taken
- Brief crisis stabilization (1-7 days) – Clients admitted to the CCSU may receive a brief respite from the crisis situation to allow the tense situation to settle down for only a few days, or several days of observation and assessment after which family or team meetings can process recommendations for aftercare.
- Intensive assessment / treatment (7-30 days) – Juveniles in need of quick and intense treatment to avoid home removal and family disruption may stay for several weeks during which time they will receive intensive therapy (daily), group and milieu treatment and 24 hour monitoring and observation. Often transient issues can be resolved during these stays.
- Placement and linking to other resources – The CCSU can assist parents and other providers in accessing services through other programs or placement options.
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Access numbers for Children’s services
