CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – This month, Thompson Child & Family Focus (Thompson) opens its third Short-Term Crisis Stabilization program to serve high-risk adolescents within the custody of Departments of Social Services in the Partners Health Management service area.
The program, which targets adolescents in need of short-term crisis response due to significant behavioral health challenges that are not effectively addressed in other levels of care, has already demonstrated success in two other Thompson campus facilities. These are youth that are often in the custody of the Department of Social Services (DSS) and represent some of the most highly traumatized youth in our communities.
Partners CEO Rhett Melton said, “We are excited to partner with Thompson to create this important service for children in our communities. Projects like this are a cornerstone of our work and represent what is possible through close collaboration with local organizations such as DSS, as well as our philosophy of maintaining deep and innovative relationships with our behavioral health provider partners.”
In addition to the residential component, the program also offers a therapeutic piece that addresses the increased needs of this population. Program clients benefit from highly structured days and recreation, in addition to therapy. Through regular meetings with staff therapists, trauma responses and behaviors are addressed, and coping skills implemented. The program also now offers telepsychiatry services and medication consults, increasing accessibility.
Thompson has successfully operated multiple long-term care programs for youth with significant behavioral health challenges for decades. However, residential programs of six months or more are not right for every youth. Neither are short-term acute hospitalizations, which generally last 48-72 hours at most, and ultimately may not provide enough care to truly make an impact. The system of care has been missing an “intermediate” length of stay program for youth whose needs are not met with the traditional residential continuum. This Thompson program helps to fill that gap.
“Thompson is thrilled to be partnering with Partners Health Management to stand up this much needed resource in the community,” stated Thompson President/CEO Will Jones. “We have consistently found Partners to be an organization that is willing to invest in innovative programs to meet needs for the most complex youth in our communities. We look forward to standing up this program and others in the future to fill gaps, meet needs, and give every youth the best possible chance of success in their lives.”
Much like the two programs already in operation, youth in this program receive treatment for an average of 30-45 days, and Thompson’s treatment team will partner with the youth’s DSS care team to ensure positive outcomes for the youth served. The new program expansion will operate within Thompson’s beautiful 62-acre Matthews, NC campus which provides a therapeutic environment for youth to experience their treatment.
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About Thompson
Headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina (Mecklenburg County), Thompson Child & Family Focus is a human services leader transforming lives through early childhood, family stability, and mental health services. As a solutions-driven organization committed to rewriting narratives for the most vulnerable; Thompson achieves this by providing comprehensive, evidence-based services, and trauma-informed care, for children (ages 0-18) and their families, virtually and in person. Thompson employs over 300 staff in NC and FL and is led by President/CEO, Will Jones.
To read more about Thompson’s continuum of services online, go to thompsoncff.org, or email news@thompsoncff.org.
About Partners
Partners Health Management is a leading local managed care organization (LME/MCO), providing access to care for central and western North Carolina’s most vulnerable citizens. Partners manages Medicaid, state and local funding for intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental health and substance use disorder (IDD/MH/SUD) services in our covered areas.
We are recognized across North Carolina for our Partners Community Model and unwavering commitment to the counties and the families we serve. Through our steadfast community focus and longstanding partnerships with local stakeholders, agencies and elected officials, our members receive the care and support they need.