YIP (Youth Incentive Program) is to prevent out-of-home placement of emotionally disturbed and behaviorally challenged children and adolescents. Under YIP, local volunteers serve on the Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council (CIACC), which sets policy and develops procedures for community care of the target population. The CIACC annually allocates and monitors community development funds to enhance or develop services. Additional individual wraparound dollars are also available as needed and approved by the state for creating and accessing services on a case-by-case basis.
Under YIP, CART reviews cases of youngsters who are in, or at risk of, out-of home placement as a result of emotional challenges or troubled family situations. CART strives to prevent out-of-home placement whenever possible and bring youngsters home from placement as appropriate. Since its inception, CART has developed service plans for an average of 150 children per year. During the past two years, the number has increased to approximately 200 cases annually.
In 2001 the program:
- Provided funding and ongoing monitoring of various programs, including intensive in-home family intervention and therapy, adolescent after-school partial hospitalization and vocational training.
- Made recommendations for the allocation of funding for individually tailored, community-based service plans for children and adolescents in the target population and monitored funded services
- Provided strengths-based Child Family Team service planning and monitoring to children in the YIP population
- Continued advocacy at state and local levels to meet the needs of emotionally disturbed youth and bridge gaps in the overall system of children’s mental health services
- Enhanced the existing individualized vocational training program for adolescents by expanding the horticulture therapy and “green industry” skills component
- Actively participated in and gave direction to the Increase Youth Resiliency Goal Team of the Partnership for Community Health
- Collaborated with other groups serving children and families, such as the Youth Services Commission, Human Services Advisory Council, Northern Region Children’s Coordinating Council, and Continuum of Care Task Force, to enhance and strengthen overall service delivery.
- Gave presentations at various committee and board meetings on the “Continuum of Care for Children and Youth in Bergen County,” developed under the abovementioned task force
- Partnered with the adult side of the Mental Health Division and the Bergen County Division of Emergency Management in conducting a countywide assessment of support services after September 11.
- Developed and distributed literature to schools and families on helping youth deal with tragedy.
