UBCSS Offers New Program: FUSIONS
New Program Provides Support for Children and Adolescents
By Jerry Dorsman
Upper Bay Counseling & Support Services, Inc. has a new program, FUSIONS, which provides care coordination / case management for children and families in Cecil County.
FUSIONS is available to individuals under 18 years old who have a mental health diagnosis, a co-occurring issue (mental health diagnosis and substance use diagnosis), and those youth at risk for an out of home placement, who meet eligibility requirements.
This service focuses on the strengths and needs of the youth and his or her family. It helps individuals build upon their strengths and allows the family to have a “Voice and Choice” in the process.
FUSIONS staff: Linsay Woolman, Sarah Conaway, and Anne-Marie Cox
Using a wraparound model, FUSIONS brings together people from different parts of the family’s life to coordinate activities, blend their perspectives, and facilitate a planning process that follows a series of steps to develop an action plan for the family.
A FUSIONS’ Care Coordinator facilitates this process for the youth and his or her family. The process involves the youth and family as the leaders in developing a plan of care that is both comprehensive and individualized to the youth and family needs
The Care Coordinator meets with the family to help identify the community supports (therapist, school counselor), informal supports (pastor, coach, mentor) and natural supports (friends, family, neighbors) as identified by the family and this becomes the Child and Family Team. The Care Coordinator will arrange a Child Family Team (CFT) meeting at the family’s preferred meeting time and place and invite the family’s support systems.
At CFT meetings, the Care Coordinator will facilitate a wraparound process that will assist the team to work together in establishing resources that each team member can provide. The Care Coordinator will also help team members identify tasks to be completed that will assist the family in meeting its needs while simultaneously following the plan of care for the youth and the family.
The FUSIONS Staff
Anne-Marie Cox, LCSW-C, program supervisor, has over 11 years of experience as a therapist working with children and their families. During that time she has had experience with the Wraparound Model of Care as a therapist, care coordinator and supervisor.
Linsay Woolman, care coordinator, has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Cecil College and a Bachelor’s in Behavioral Science with a certificate in Child Advocacy from Wilmington University. She works on the Neighborhood Youth Panel Program for Cecil County. She also serves as a little league coach.
Sarah Conaway, care coordinator, is a 2014 graduate from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Behavior Science. She has experience working in Case Management, interning with adults and children with physical, developmental, and behavioral disabilities.
A child qualifies for the FUSIONS program if he or she has both a mental health diagnosis and Medical Assistance.
For more information about this program or to make a referral, you’re invited to call Anne-Marie Cox at 443-350-3347 or email her at ACox@upperbay.org.
(Published May 29, 2015.)
# # #
We welcome your comments. Please let us know what you think. (Note: this page is not monitored for sensitive personal information. Please call our office at 1-800-467-0304 if you need help. If you are having a mental health or medical emergency please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.)
Comments