CAP Announcement: January 27, 2009
The Collaborative Assessment Program (CAP) was established in 1996 by the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the Department of Medical Assistance (DMA) in response to the need for a single point of entry, coordination, and integration of services for seriously emotionally disturbed youth and their families who were at risk of out of home placement. This program will be phasing out its services to correspond with the end of the current fiscal year (June 30, 2009). CAP was a pioneer in innovative approaches to working with youth, families, providers as well as agencies. Their strength based approach to working with families, providers and agencies, the use of family partners, flexible funds/ wrap around model as well as parent satisfactions surveys are now anchors of the emerging mental/behavioral health delivery system for youth and their families. Over 3,000 youth across the state have received services; 75% of them remained with their families and in their communities.
Many of the youth served by CAP have been Mass Health members. The state funded Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) is the result of the Rosie D. lawsuit. The outcome of this lawsuit requires that Massachusetts provide behavioral/mental health services to eligible families through their Mass Health insurance. CBHI will assure that youth who are eligible for CAP will be eligible for services through this new vehicle effective June 30, 2009. For non Mass Health members who would have been CAP eligible, DMH and DCF will seek to develop options for youth and families to receive assessments and support services.
CAP will continue to operate as a statewide service for the remainder of the fiscal year through a DCF/DMH Regional support structure. The last date for accepting new community referrals will be on or around April 1, 2009. Since remaining CAP staff in each Region varies, the capacity to provide assessments and support services will vary. However, every effort will be made to link families with needed services and continue the on-going expedited assessments for appropriate youth in acute psychiatric facilities.
All referral sources and family members can continue to call their local Regional DCF office for information about the status of their local CAP and for information about other community options. The contact information is as follows:
Western Regional Office: (413) 452-3439
Central Regional Office: (508) 929-2195
Northeast Regional Office: (978) 557-2706
Metro Regional Office: (781) 641-8208
Southeast Regional Office: (508) 894-3958
Boston Regional Office: (617) 822-4864
This information is provided by the Department of Children and Families.