C.        CHILDREN’S SERVICES 

1.00     Legal and Statutory Bases 

1.01     Rights of Recipients:  Has an understanding and knowledge of the rights of recipients for DHHS--Behavioral and Developmental Services children’s services within state and federal laws. 

1.02     Legal Supports: Understands and has a working knowledge of the Risinger Settlement Agreement and other relevant legal supports. 

1.03     Guardianship: Understands guardianship laws and issues as they pertain to DHHS--Behavioral and Developmental Services, Corrections, and DHS. 

1.04     Behavior Management:  Knowledge of regulations surrounding emergency and behavior management interventions. 

1.05     Mandatory Reporting:  Understands responsibility, laws, policies and procedures of reporting suspected child abuse. Understands incident report procedures. 

2.00     Definitions 

2.01     Definition of Population:  Has a basic understanding of the mental illness disorders and developmental disabilities as listed within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

2.02     Major Mental Health Disorders: Understands "major mental health disorders", including "severe and profound mental illness" as categorized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual and prioritized within the medical and mental health systems.

2.03     Signs and Symptoms:  Understands and recognizes the many signs, symptoms and indicators associated with behavioral and developmental diagnoses.

2.04     Behavioral Health:  Understands the definition of behavioral health, within a continuum of behavioral health and health issues. 

2.05     Severe and Prolonged Mental Illness: Knowledge of the category "severe and prolonged mental illness" as identifying special needs and a criterion for services. 

2.06     Trauma Disorders:  Understands trauma-based disorders and symptoms, and recognizes the signs, symptoms and indicators associated with severe abuse and neglect trauma. 

2.07     Co-occurring Disorders: Understands the occurrence of multiple disabilities/disorders, including those of addiction, medical conditions, PTSD and other trauma related conditions, developmental disabilities, and mental retardation; understands the importance of collaborative efforts among multiple providers.

3.00     Assessments

3.01     Initial Screening:  Understands and uses appropriate screening techniques for children’s case management services.

3.02     History and Background:  Understands and utilizes appropriate techniques to develop an accurate historical picture of the child and family, including traumatic experiences of individual child and family system.

3.03     Assessment Tools:  Is able to utilize a wide range of strengths-based, family-centered, level-of-care, assessment tools to determine the child’s level of need. Is able to assess for existence and impacts of abuse to determine most appropriate interventions and/or referrals. 

3.04     Information and Referral:  Is able to provide appropriate information, support and assistance based on the child and family’s strengths and needs. 

3.05     Confidentiality:  Understands, explains and follows procedures regarding confidentiality, informed consent and rights of recipients. 

3.06     Safety Check: Is able to assess safety of child and of family, provide assistance as needed and/or provide referral to safety services. 

3.07     Connection to Planning Process:  Able to use assessment information for planning process. 

4.00     Approaches to Children’s Services

4.01     Bio-psychosocial Practice: Understands holistic practice that includes an understanding of the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of each person served. 

4.02     Psychosocial Rehab Techniques:  Has knowledge of client centered psychosocial rehabilitation techniques.

4.03     Medical Model:  Understands the theoretical framework and dynamics of the medical model’s approach to mental health. 

4.04     Trauma Model: Understands impacts and sequelae of psychological trauma (e.g. physical, sexual abuse, severe neglect, witnessing of violence).  Understands the theoretical framework and dynamics of the trauma model’s approach to mental health, how it differs from the medical model, and ways in which both models may integrate for the benefit of the child.  Knows the connection of the trauma model to diagnoses of mental and addictive disorders.

4.05     Recovery-based:  Understands that recovery is possible, individually defined and developed on the basis of hope, self-determination, empowerment, and the skills and resources to support wellness. 

4.06     Family Systems Model:  Understands the theoretical framework and dynamics of the family systems approach to mental health issues. 

4.07     Cognitive and Behavioral Model:  Has a working knowledge and understanding of the cognitive and behavioral model approach to mental illness. 

4.08     Complementary Practices:  Has an understanding of new and promising approaches to mental illness and/or trauma disorders, for example the narrative model or body therapies. 

4.09     Spirituality:  Understands the dynamics of spirituality as it relates to the support of mental health issues. 

4.10     Role-Modeling:  Actively incorporates and demonstrates personal and professional empowerment principles such as conflict management, assertive communication, respect and acknowledgment of biases. 

4.11     Basic Pharmacology:  Has knowledge of basic pharmacology including therapeutic effects and side effects in conjunction with the service recipient’s viewpoint on both. 

4.12     Trauma Model:  Understands the impact of trauma, including sexual, physical, and neglectful abuse, its connection to diagnoses of mental and addictive disorders, and importance to treatment. 

5.00     Child And Adolescent Development (Cognitive, Psychosocial, Physical) 

5.01     Developmental Stages: Has a basic understanding of stages, process and milestones of normal physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development for infants, children and adolescents through post adolescence (21 years). 

5.02     Social Development: Understands the importance of recreation and leisure, developing friends and becoming part of a peer group. 

5.03     Developmental Disabilities: Has a basic understanding of the variety of developmental disabilities including mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, spinal bifida, Down’s syndrome, attention deficit disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, pervasive developmental disabilities and other conditions that delay or impair development. 

5.04     Developmental Challenges: Understands how mental illness or emotional problems, and mental retardation or learning disabilities, and adverse childhood experiences such as physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and witnessing of violence can affect children’s rate and retention of learning and contribute to variations in performance. 

5.05     Bonding and Attachment: Understands importance of bonding and attachment with primary caregivers and the results of disruptions in this process, and feelings and behaviors associated with this disruption. 

5.06     Adolescent Mental Health: Knows the primary symptoms of serious emotional disturbances, early and/or ongoing history of abuse, and  mental illness of adolescents, and how these can impact learning and development. 

5.07     Physical Development: Understands the physical changes experienced in childhood and adolescence and the effect on sense of self and identity. 

5.08     Identity Formation: Understands that during adolescence youth are developing their sense of personal identity and that they may need access to resources to help them deal with the complexities of formulating their answer to the question  -  “Who am I?”. 

5.09     Emotional and Psychological Independence: Understands that children and youth may vacillate between their desire for independence and need to be dependent as they assert their independence and individuality, and as a result may exhibit mood and behavioral swings. 

5.10     Sexuality: Understands that children and youth’s personal identity includes their own attitude about what it means to be male or female, which influences values about sexual behavior and their sense of masculinity and femininity. 

5.11     Developing Value System: Understands that children and adolescents develop their own value system and will join with, as well as have conflict with, family, friends, and others at this time as they define their own ideology. 

5.12     Spirituality: Knows of and respects spiritual beliefs and festivals and is able to guide youth as they discover and grow within their religion and learn about others. 

5.13     Abuse and Neglect: Understands the impact on children’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional development as manifested during different ages and stages of development. 

6.00     Working with Children and Youth 

6.01     Developing Competencies: Creates opportunities for families to connect positively and for children and youth to build on strengths and to encourage practicing skills, learning about relationships, and connecting with their community. 

6.02     Cultural Awareness: Understands the need for children and youth to explore their culture. 

6.03     Enhancing Self-Esteem: Has a willingness to work with children and youth to identify activities that challenge them to gain confidence in their skills, to demonstrate knowledge and to develop their capabilities. 

6.04     Self as Resource: Provides youth and families with opportunity to recognize self as a resource for others because of life experience (e.g., legislation, training professionals). 

7.00     Education

7.01     Educational Resources:  Knows the services and resources that contribute to children and youth’s positive educational outcomes and helps the family access them (e.g., knowledge of Special Ed 504 accommodations and partnering with continuum of care through Child Development Services). 

7.02     Post-Secondary Preparation and Options:  Works collaboratively with school officials and guidance counselors to identity appropriate plans for supports and services to assist youth in preparing for post-secondary education. Knows programs and services for youth who choose to continue their education (e.g., Job Corps, vocational and higher education, etc.). 

7.03     Educational Goals:  Works with children and youth to develop educational goals and a plan for attaining these goals. 

8.00     Substance Abuse 

8.01     Dynamics and Indicators: Understands substance use as a continuum and recognizes the dynamics and indicators of substance use/abuse problems that occur throughout the continuum. 

8.02     Use: Understands reasons why youth may choose to use alcohol and other substances, and recognizes when substances are used as a way of coping with trauma. 

8.03     Resources: Works with youth to identify treatment and prevention services and to understand referral procedures so that youth are able to address substance abuse issues. 

8.04     Addiction: Understands dynamics of, and various philosophical approaches to addiction, such as disease, trauma, self-medication, bio-psychosocial perspectives. 

8.05     Dual Diagnosis: Understands and is able to identify symptoms and dynamics of dual diagnoses and the need for collaborative efforts for better therapeutic outcomes for this population. 

8.06     Recovery: Understands and is able to identify stages of recovery from addiction and the effects of the recovery process on family members and care providers. 

9.00     Teen Parenting 

9.01          Resources:  Knows resources that are available to youth who become parents (e.g., prenatal care, hospital services, parenting programs, delivery education, well-child care, immunization schedules, support groups, adult education and financial entitlements). 

9.02     Pregnancy:  Works with youth to assess options, identify services, and secure support as needed during pregnancy. 

9.03     Parenting Skills:  Works with youth to identify classes and other programs to develop skills needed to successfully parent. 

10.00   Health – Maintenance Services 

10.01      Managing Medical, Dental, and Mental Health Needs:  Works with families and children to help them manage their own medical, dental, and mental health needs by helping them gain an understanding of their health care needs and the importance of keeping appointments, maintaining records and complying with insurance/MaineCare requirements. 

10.02   Identifying Health Resources:  Works with families and children to identify and connect with appropriate health resources in their own communities. 

11.00   Life Skills for Youth 

11.01   Continuum:  Understands the four-stage continuum (informal learning, formal learning, supervised practice and self-sufficiency) that enables youth in independent living programs to move through a series of phases to acquire tangible and intangible skills. 

11.02   Needs and Goals:  Understands that youth’s acquisition of life skills is dependent on their own developmental needs and their independent living goals. 

11.03   Core Skills:  Knows and understands core set of life skills and approaches for youth to learn/practice the skills. 

11.04   Joint Planning and Consistency:  Knows the importance of joint planning and of consistency in approach and expectation by all adults teaching independent living and self-management skills to youth. 

11.05   Practices:  Consistently works with youth to create opportunities to practice daily living skills in a real world environment to promote confidence. 

11.06   Trauma Symptom Management Skills:  Understands dynamics and symptoms of trauma and knows core set of symptom management skills that empower youth to gain understanding and mastery over impacts of trauma. 

12.00    Community Services 

12.01   Community Based Supports and Services: Has a working knowledge of the community based service agencies and supports available to assist mental health clients and their families. 

12.02   Residential - Out of Home Services: Has a working knowledge and understanding of the residential and hospital based services available to assist the clients and their family. 

12.03   Residential In-Home Supports: Is knowledgeable about resources available to provide in-home supports to families.

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