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Family Support Services

• Supervised Visitation/Monitored Transfer
• Parent Education

Systems Navigation

 Systems Navigation provides assistance to families who have children with multiple or intensive needs. The Systems Navigator helps the family navigate the complex systems of care by providing facilitation, ongoing support, and follow-up. Navigation is free of charge to any family residing in Frederick County who has a child between the ages of 0-21 with intensive needs in any life domain.

The Systems Navigator will work with each family to identify needs and strengths, with a focus on identifying and developing a natural support system of family and community partners. A Systems Navigator can provide:

• Information, referral and linkage to appropriate services for your child
• One-to-one support and advocacy for your family
• Guidance in completing forms and applications for services
• Support at meetings related to your child, when possible
• Education on laws, policies and procedures to access services for your child
• Workshops to inform you and other families on services and ways to effectively advocate for your child.

Systems Navigation at the Mental Health Association of Frederick County is different from traditional case management in a number of ways:

• It is family driven, empowering members to plan their care
• It is evaluation based. In most cases, an assessment tool called the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths scale (CANS) is used to guide the development of service delivery decisions.
• It focuses on collaboration between providers, the minimization of barriers, and strives to avoid duplication of services.
• It is advocacy focused, teaching families the skills they need to negotiate the systems in which their child is involved.
• It is short term in nature.
• It focuses on family satisfaction and the utilization of a system of services that is responsive to consumers.

For more information contact Susan Barnhill at 301-663-0011 ext. 158 or Hillary Banachowski  at 301-663-0011 ext. 161.