Intensive Home Based Services (IHBS) are community-based services to help children, youth, and young adults with mental health needs and their families. These services can help them succeed at home, at school, and in the community. IHBS ensures access to high-quality mental health outreach, treatment, recovery, and support services for children, youth, and young adults. These services may also lower the need for hospital visits and placements outside of the home.
Five new Intensive Home Based Services (IHBS) were developed and implemented by the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) through its statewide network of Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs). The services include: High Intensity Care Coordination (HICC); Youth Peer Support (CPS-Y), Parent Peer Support (CPS-P), Therapeutic Mentoring (TM), and Intensive In-Home Intervention (IHI).
The goal of the IHBS is to help youth with significant mental, emotional, and mental health needs, and their caregivers to achieve success in their homes, schools, and communities. The services are intended to support eligible youth with SED to live and thrive in their homes and communities and avoid or reduce the need for costly and disruptive out-of-home placements and hospitalizations.
High-Intensity Care Coordination (HICC)
High-Intensity Care Coordination (HICC) is a service where a Care Coordinator works directly with the child, youth, or young adult and their family. HICC plans services with a child and family team. HICC coordinates supports and services and monitors a care plan that includes medically necessary services.
Certified Youth Peer Support (CPS-Y) is a rehabilitative recovery service based on sharing lived experiences. It is a service that provides structured and scheduled activities. CPS-Y helps with social interaction, recovery, and speaking up for oneself. It helps build community living skills and identify natural supports. It is provided by a young adult who has lived experience.
CPS-Y is for youth, and young adults, age 10-21.
Certified Parent Peer Support (CPS-P) is a rehabilitative Recovery service based on sharing lived experience. It is a service that provides structured and scheduled activities. CPS-P helps with social interaction, recovery, and speaking up for oneself. It helps build community living skills and identify natural supports.
It is provided by a parent/caregiver with lived experience who has parented or is currently parenting a child/youth experiencing either a SED or SMI. This experience occurred prior to this child/youth’s 21st birthday.
The CPS-P may be a birth parent, adoptive parent, family member standing in for an absent parent, or person chosen by the family or youth to have the role of parent.
Therapeutic Mentoring (TM) is a structured, one-on-one skill-building intervention for a child or youth. Support services help the child reach age-appropriate behaviors by restoring daily living, social, and communication skills that have been adversely impacted by a mental health condition.
TM is for children aged 5-12.
Child & Adolescent (C&A) In-Home Intervention (IHI) is a structured, consistent, strength-based therapy. It is provided by a two-person team. Therapeutic and rehabilitative services include individual counseling, family counseling/support, basic living skills, 24/7 crisis intervention, medication monitoring, therapeutic mentoring, and mental health care coordination/consultation.
Children, adolescents, and their families receiving IHBS services will work with a team to create a personal plan of care. The plan is based on the child’s strengths and needs. This encourages families to be active participants in their child’s own care. Care includes supports and community resources.
IHBS was developed in 2019, in response to the Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis Treatment (EPSDT) settlement agreement in which Alabama intentionally undertook redesigning its mental health delivery system for youth with a Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and significantly expanded mental health services to eligible children and adolescents under the age of 21.
Gayla Caddell, Senior Program Manager
Child & Adolescent Mental Illness Treatment
334-353-7832