Children and Families SPOA

What is Children & Families SPOA

The Single Point of Access (SPOA) process brings representatives from important county service providers together with families to provide support and assistance to families with children in distress. The primary goals of SPOA are to 1) maintain children in the community and reduce out-of-home placement, 2) help transition children in placement back into the community and 3) increase access to community resources. These goals are accomplished by connecting children and their families to mental health resources, case management services, parent advocates, and social service prevention programs, to name a few.

Making a SPOA Referral

A SPOA referral can come from a variety of different sources: mental health, school, case management, social services, etc. The Universal SPOA Referral Form contains referral information, risk assessment, and release of information. For clients with Medicaid, an additional form, the Children’s Health Home of Upstate New York (CHHUNY) Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) Verification Form is requested to assist in determining eligibility in the health home. This form must be completed by whoever has made the client’s mental health diagnosis; a therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care doctor are some examples. Once completed the referral form can be sent to Greene County Mental Health Center by secure email at zknopf@discovergreene.com or faxed to 518-621-4228 attention Zoe Knopf. You will be contacted if any additional information is needed and the case manager will reach out to the referral source and the family once the child is assigned.

SPOA Application Form

CHUNNY SED Verification Form

SPOA Form Instructions

Single Point of Access for Children & Youth Brochure

The following is a list of services your child may be referred to. Please note ALL of these services are completely voluntary.

Case Management

Intensive Case Managers and Supportive Case Managers are social work professionals who meet in the home with the parent/guardians and the child and help facilitate important community supports to families with children in distress. This may include but is not limited to:

• Linking families to community assistance programs
• Linking families to community recreation and arts programs
• Linking families with other treatment providers as needed by the child
• Help families and school systems coordinate educational and behavioral goals
• Help families set and initiate positive life goals for their child

Home and Community Based Waiver

The highest level of service available and provides intensive wrap-around services to children diagnosed with severe emotional disturbances between the ages of 5-17. The Waiver program provides children and families with strength-based individualized care coordination, respite, skill-building, intensive in-home, crisis response, and family support services. Services are designed to assist the family with increasing safety within the home and community, as well as reducing the need for hospitalizations and out-of-home placements.

Parent Advocate

Our parent advocate offers parent-to-parent support from someone who is familiar with parenting a challenging child and who can help the family understand and navigate through local community resources and systems.

Respite

Respite services provide a needed break for the family, easing family stress and providing the child with other positive adult interactions. This day or overnight care is provided either in the home or out-of-the-home by trained workers.

Prevention Services

Prevention services through the Department of Social Services offer in-home parenting.

Kinship Care

Supports are available in the community for relatives caring for other family members’ children.

Victim Assistance

For children who have been the victim of abuse, this program provides counseling and therapy, advocacy, accompaniments, information, and referrals. Services are available for recent or past victimizations.

Residential Treatment Facility (RTF)

For youth requiring a higher level of treatment, the SPOA committee screens potential candidates before review by the state.

Community Mental Health

Individual and family counseling and medication management services are available through the community mental health clinic.

Who Participates in the SPOA Process

• Mental Health Association of Columbia and Greene County
• Greene County Mental Health
• Greene County Youth Bureau
• Greene County Department of Social Services
• Greene County School Districts
• Parsons Home and Community Based Waiver Program
• The Arc Mid Hudson *
• Greene County Probation Department*
• Northeast Parent and Child Society*

*Participation as needed

If you need more information on the children’s SPOA process please contact:

Zoe Knopf, BS – SPOA Coordinator

Greene County Mental Health
905 Greene County Office Building
Cairo, NY 12413

Phone: 518.622.9163, ext 7114

Fax: 518.621.4228

Email: zknopf@discovergreene.com