Children in State
Custody
About the Program
The University of Tennessee
Center of Excellence (COE) for Children in State Custody was established to serve
as a referral center for children in or at risk of state
custody in West Tennessee. The UT COE is part of a statewide
system of referral centers dedicated to increasing behavioral
and physical health services to children in or at risk of
state custody by providing both consultative and direct services.
Staff
Expertise
and staff from existing UT College of Medicine programs, such as the Boling Center
for Developmental Disabilities and the Department of Child
and Adolescent Psychiatry, contribute to the day-to-day functioning
of the UT COE. Staff includes psychologists, psychiatrists,
pediatricians, and social workers.
Program Components
Referral questions may include mental health, physical health,
developmental, medication, or placement issues. The development
of an individualized Care Plan for each child is a key part
of what the COE has to offer. Care Plans are developed by
a multi-disciplinary team based on thorough reviews of records
alone or in conjunction with face-to-face clinical evaluations.
They include specific treatment and placement recommendations.
The UT COE staff also provides consultation to health providers
regarding children with complex needs and assists in coordination
of their care. Barriers to accessing services are also identified
so that systemic efforts to address these barriers can be
made.
Training case managers and educating other health service
providers on various topics related to working with children
and families is another component of the program.
Psychiatric, Psychological, and Social Work Evaluations
These evaluations are done to determine diagnoses and treatment
needs. Evaluations involve reviewing records, interviewing
the child or adolescent, and interviewing an adult who knows
the child well (usually a caregiver) to obtain the child's
history and information about current stressors and behaviors.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor and therefore can also
review medications. A psychologist often uses formal testing
procedures to assist in determining educational (most commonly)
and/or specific treatment needs. Clinical evaluations can
also be completed by a licensed clinical social worker. After
completing an evaluation, the clinician makes specific recommendations
for treatment and/or placement.
Outreach
The UT COE staff are available for on-site consultation
at each of the DVS regional offices in West Tennessee one
day per month. Outreach to rural counties through use of
telemedicine connections is also available.
Lending Library
The Program offers PowerPoint and video presentations for
loan.
Click on this link to download a list (pdf format) of PowerPoint and video
presentations available for loan.
Click on this link for the
Request Form for the Lending Library
When Should a Referral Be Made?
- When the case is complex and there are diagnostic and
mental health concerns
- When there are conflicting diagnoses among providers
- When a comprehensive review of the child's history (behavior,
treatment, placement) would assist in determining the child's
current needs
- When an evaluation or examination would add information
needed for placement or treatment recommendations
- When there is concern about a developmental delay
- When there is concern about medications
Referrals
Referrals are made primarily from
the Department of Childrens Services (DCS) and Community Services Agency (CSA)
case managers, although referrals can be initiated through
other sources. Referral questions may include mental health,
physical health, development, medication, or placement issues.
To make a referral:
- Call the UT COE: 901-448-3420 (toll free 866-448-3420).
- Or, fax a completed Intake/Data Sheet (provided on request)
to UT COE: 901-448-3740.
A staff member will contact the referrer to clarify the
specific questions that need to be answered and to obtain
additional formation.
Other COE Services
Training case managers and educating other health
service providers on various topics related to working with
children and families. Examples of training topics include:
- Common Behavioral Health Problems: Signs & Symptoms
- Identifying Developmental Problems
- Basic Interviewing Skills
- Basic Writing Skills for Case Managers, and
- Skills for Talking with Children.
These are only examples of topics. A wide variety of topics can be presented
and training sessions will be tailored to the trainees' needs.
Telemedicine connections are available to increase
accessibility of services to rural counties.
On site consultation at each of the regional DCS
or CSA offices in West Tennessee is available on a monthly
basis upon request
Contact
For further information contact the Project Manager of the
UT COE, BCDD, 711 Jefferson Avenue, Memphis, TN 38105.
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