Mission
Children's Mental Health services are designed to provide high-quality, community-based mental health services and supports for children with emotional and behavioral challenges and their families. The goal is to help children with mental health needs achieve success in home, school and community settings.

ACCESS
If you need help for your child/teen with emotional or behavioral challenges, call the ACCESS Team at 463-1100 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A trained staff person will link you to community supports and services that best fit your child’s and family’s needs. The staff team includes parents who have raised or are raising a child requiring mental health, child welfare or juvenile justice services.

Family Support Services (FSS)
Onondaga County Family Support Services (FSS) are intended to provide short term support to adult caregivers who are parenting children or youth who face significant mental health challenges. FSS works with families to assess their needs, advocate for services, assist the family in accessing community resources, and support adult caregivers both to achieve parenting goals and to support their children and youth in achieving personal goals. Typical FSS activities include:

• Assist adult caregivers in obtaining medical, dental or mental health services for themselves and their family members;
• Assist caregivers to apply for benefits and services to meet basic needs;
• Work with families and schools to develop strategies to enhance a child’s or youth's ability to meet educational goals;
• Coach parents in developing structure, rules, consequences and rewards that will help children and youth achieve normal developmental milestones;
• Research and assist in applying for after school and summer programs that are appropriate for children and youth with mental health needs; and
• Provide education and support for parents who are trying to learn their way around the mental health system of care in Onondaga County.

 For more information, contact ACCESS at (315) 463-1100 and ask about Family Support Services. There is no charge for these services and all services are customized to meet the family's unique needs. Services are delivered in the home or community in which the family resides.


Adolescent Day Treatment Program
The Onondaga County Adolescent Day Treatment Program provides intensive mental health treatment for children and adolescents between 9th and 12th grades who reside in Onondaga County. The program provides comprehensive services to address the emotional, behavioral, psychological, social, medical and academic needs of children and adolescents who are experiencing significant difficulty functioning at school, home and community. Children and adolescents attend program daily in lieu of attending a typical school program. The program operates year round. Family participation and collaboration are an integral part of the Day Treatment Program.

Children and adolescents are referred to Day Treatment by their home school district. Families interested in Day Treatment should discuss this with their district Committee on Special Education. Once a referral is made, an evaluation is scheduled to determine if day treatment services will meet the child/adolescent’s needs. Evaluations are scheduled when an opening is available.

To find out more about the Day Treatment Program, call (315) 431-8423. Day Treatment services are financially supported by health insurance and school district support. A generous sliding fee scale is provided for families who either do not have health insurance or have insurance that does not cover day treatment.