Community Services

After School Program

• group meetings
• homework groups
• therapeutic recreational activities
• snacks
• arts & crafts
• special guests
• field trips
• nature activities
• games
• earned incentives
• parent/guardian involvement
• transportation to & from TASP

Two schedules to choose from:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday
OR
Tuesday & Thursday.
TASP operates for the duration of the school year.

Locations

Locations include Elkton & Cherry Hill Middle Schools

U-Grow Social Skills Program

Overview

Summer is an ideal time to strengthen the skills that support personal growth and success. Success comes from different sources-physical activity, creative self-expression, and meaningful participation in group activities. Children who are successful in their relationships with adults and other children find success in all aspects of their lives. The U-Grow Program is for children entering 1st-6th grade. Our staff has over 10 years experience working with children. WIth a child-to-staff ratio of 6:1, the program focuses on strengthening and developing social skills within a daylong schedule of structed activities. Our relaxed setting makes the U-Grow Program ideal for first-time participants, children who are shy and those needing additional support and personal encouragement.

Each day offers a full schedule of activities centered around developing social skills, which include:

• group meetings
• hiking & exploring
• elective activities
• group activities & games
• lunch (bring your own)
• arts & crafts
• cooking
• games & recreation outside & in a gym
• cool down & relaxation exercises
• snacks (mid-morning & mid-afternoon provided)

Parenting with Love & Logic

Overview

Parenting with Love & Logic follows the theory that children learn best through natural consequences when parents & children share control and when children are given opportunities to develop good decision making skills.

LOVE allows children to grow through their mistakes.

LOGIC allows children to live with the consequences of their choices.

Dates, Times & Location

Love & Logic is a six week, 2-hour program that meets at 200 Booth Street, Elkton, Maryland. For more information contact Marylou Biasotto at 410-620-7161.

Child Advocacy Center

Overview

The Cecil County Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of the Cecil County Department of Social Services is a multidisciplinary approach to investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child sexual abuse cases, severe physical abuse cases, and child fatalities.

Upper Bay Counseling & Support Services, Inc.contracts with CAC to provide therapeutic services to child sexual abuse victims who are clients of the CAC. Children are referred through the intake process of the CAC. Therapeutic services are provided at no cost to the victim and/or the victim's family. The goal is to provide immediate, focused intervention to lessen the negative effects of the trauma. A licensed therapist provides these services at the CAC. Non-offending caregivers can receive support and assistance in a psychoeducational group that meets every other Thursday from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. at the Center.

Referrals are accepted from the CAC and other providers. The CAC is located at 214 1/2 High St. Elkton, MD 21921. For more information call 410-996-0100.

Children's First Group

Overview

The Children's First Group is a psycho-educational program for children experiencing separation and divorce. The program is held once per week for sixty minutes over a six week period. Each group is divided by age groups and can accomodate approximately 6 to 8 participants per age group.

Parents may voluntarily request that their child participate in this program or the Court may order parents to enroll their children. The primary topics covered in the group include identifying and validating common feelings, exploring healthy and unhealthy reactions to separation and divorce, visiting the court house to reduce anxiety, develop coping skills for managing feelings and learning ways to communicate, identifying resources to assist children, and anticipating changes in the future.

For more information, please contact our Intake & Assessment office at 410-620-7161.

Jail Mental Health

Overview

The Jail Mental Health program assists individuals with major mental illnesses who are currently in the criminal justice system, obtain the necessary services while incarcerated and to continue these services after their release. This dual purpose provides individuals with appropriate services, and helps provide the skills necessary to reduce the likelihood of their return to incarceration.

• identifies individuals with mental illness who are currently involved in the criminal justice system
• individual assessment and evaluation
• provides individual and group counseling, as well as case management
• provides family education and support
• specializes in court/jail advocacy
• offers medication evaluation and medication management
• provides aftercare services, including referrals to other agencies

Eligibility/Referrals

For individuals currently in the local detention center, referrals are often made by correctional officers or other jail staff, family members, friends, parole/probation agents, judges or the inmat him/herself. Each referral is answered by a Jail Mental Health staff member who conducts a personal interview with the referred individual. At this time, Jail Mental Health services are gegun and/or appropriate referrals are made to other agencies and programs. For those with pending charges and probable jail time or those individuals coming from a jail that have not been in the Jail Mental Health Program, referrals are handled through Upper Bay's Intake & Assessment Unit where such cases are assigned to the Jail Mental Health aftercare program.

Intensive Case Management

Intensive case management services are volunatry for adults who are eligible for Maryland's Public Mental Health benefits. Individuals dealing with emotional and/or behavioral mental health problems may feel alone while trying to cope with the confusing and often overwhelming demands of trying to find help for themselves or their children. Upper Bay Counseling case managers are available to assist both individuals and families in coping with these demands, and help them with finding assistance. Intensive Case Management Services are locally monitored by Cecil County Core Service Agency.

• assists adults in obtaining a full-range of necessary services within the community, focusing on mental health, medical, social, financial, educational, housing, or other support services.
• links the client with services that can assist with locating employment and/or educational opportunities
• access financial and social supports, such as Department of Social Services and Social Security Administration
• assists client with locating housing, medical providers and/or mental health providers
• assists client with accessing needed resources within the community
• provides transportation to appointments, as needed
• assists client with the transition from hospital to community through hospital discharge planning
• helps organize service providers involved with clients

Eligibility/Referrals

Intensive Case Management Services is a voluntary program that serves community members meeting Maryland Health Partners criteria. Eligibility is determined on an individual basis. Potential clients must meet the criteria and have a valid mental health diagnosis before a referral is accepted by Intensive Case Management Services. Referrals can be made either by a provider of services or by the individual seeking assistance.