Family-Based Mental Health Services (FBMHS) in Pennsylvania

You Are Not Alone

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If your child is experiencing significant emotional or behavioral challenges, it can affect the entire family. Laurel Life’s Family-Based Mental Health Services (FBMHS) provide intensive mental health support in the home and community to help families strengthen relationships, improve communication and create greater stability.

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Family-Based Mental Health Services are designed for children and adolescents with significant mental health needs who may be at risk of hospitalization or placement outside the home. Instead of focusing only on the child, FBMHS works with the entire family to create meaningful, lasting change.

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What Are Family-Based Mental Health Services?

Family-Based Mental Health Services, sometimes referred to as Family-Based Services or FBMHS, are intensive, short-term mental health services provided primarily in the family’s home and community.

Unlike traditional outpatient therapy, Family-Based services allow clinicians to work with children and caregivers in the environments where everyday challenges happen. This gives the treatment team an opportunity to understand family dynamics, identify patterns and help families practice new skills in real-life situations.

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FBMHS can help families:

• Improve communication and strengthen relationships

• Build coping and emotional regulation skills

• Reduce family conflict

• Navigate emotional or behavioral crises

• Strengthen parenting and caregiver skills

• Coordinate care with schools and other providers

• Reduce the risk of hospitalization or out-of-home placement

• Build greater stability within the home

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Family-Based care is personalized around the needs, strengths and goals of each family.

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How Family-Based Mental Health Services Work

Each family works with a two-person clinical team throughout treatment.

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Rather than meeting once a week in an office, Family-Based professionals work closely with families through multiple contacts and sessions, primarily in the home and community. This provides clinicians with a clearer understanding of what the family is experiencing and creates opportunities to address challenges as they happen.

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Treatment may include individual work with the child, family therapy, caregiver support, crisis intervention, skill-building and coordination with other people involved in the child’s care.

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Families also have access to ongoing wellness support when additional help is needed between scheduled sessions.

What Do Family-Based Mental Health Services Look Like at Home?

One of the biggest differences between FBMHS and traditional counseling is where treatment happens.

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Providing care in the home allows clinicians to see family interactions in a familiar environment and help caregivers and children practice skills within their everyday routines.

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Learn more about what in-home Family-Based services are really like:
What Do Family-Based Mental Health Services Look Like at Home?

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​Who Can Benefit From Family-Based Mental Health Services?

FBMHS may be appropriate when a child or adolescent is experiencing significant emotional or behavioral challenges that are affecting the stability of the family.

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Families may be referred to Family-Based services when traditional outpatient support is not enough to meet the child’s needs or when there is concern that the child may require a higher level of care.

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FBMHS is available to children and adolescents who meet program eligibility requirements, including:

• Ages 3 to 21

• A diagnosed mental health condition

• Medical Assistance through PerformCare or Community Care

• Risk of placement outside the home

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At least one parent or caregiver must also be willing to actively participate in treatment.

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Not Sure Whether Your Family Qualifies?

Eligibility for Family-Based Mental Health Services involves several factors, including clinical need, insurance requirements and an evaluation by an appropriate provider.

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Learn more about eligibility and the referral process:
Who Qualifies for Family-Based Mental Health Services?

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​What Services Are Included in FBMHS?

Family-Based Mental Health Services provide a comprehensive combination of treatment, caregiver support and care coordination.

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Depending on the needs of the family, services may include:

• Individual therapy for the child or adolescent

• Family therapy

• Crisis intervention and stabilization

• Parenting support and coaching

• Emotional regulation and coping skill development

• Communication and relationship-building skills

• Behavioral support

• Coordination with schools and other providers

• Connections to community resources

• Planning for continued support after Family-Based services end

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Services are tailored to the goals and needs identified by the family and treatment team.

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A Family-Centered Approach to Mental Health Treatment

Family-Based Mental Health Services do not focus on changing the child alone.

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A child’s emotional and behavioral health is often connected to relationships, communication patterns, past experiences, stressors and the larger systems surrounding the family.

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FBMHS works with children and caregivers together to understand these patterns and build healthier ways of responding to challenges.

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Parents and caregivers play an important role throughout treatment. Clinicians help caregivers recognize strengths, understand their child’s needs, practice new parenting strategies and build skills that can continue long after Family-Based services end.

Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy and FBMHS

Laurel Life’s Family-Based services use principles from Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy, commonly known as ESFT.

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ESFT looks beyond an individual symptom or behavior and considers how relationships, family patterns and outside systems can influence a child’s emotional wellbeing.

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The approach helps clinicians and families better understand what may be contributing to challenges while strengthening relationships, caregiver leadership, communication and emotional connection within the family.

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Learn more about the therapy model behind Family-Based services:
Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT)

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What to Expect When Starting Family-Based Mental Health Services

Starting an intensive in-home program can feel unfamiliar. Families often have questions about who will come into their home, what the first sessions will involve and what will be expected of parents and caregivers.

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During the beginning of services, the Family-Based team spends time getting to know the family, understanding current concerns, identifying strengths and learning about the relationships and circumstances surrounding the child.

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The team then works with the family to develop goals and a treatment plan based on what they learn.

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See what the beginning of services may look like:
What to Expect in Your First 30 Days of Family-Based Mental Health Services

​Who Provides Family-Based Mental Health Services?

Family-Based services are delivered by trained mental health professionals who work together as a two-person team.

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The team provides therapy, supports caregivers, responds to challenges and coordinates with others involved in the child’s treatment.

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Having two professionals involved gives families additional support and allows the team to bring multiple perspectives to complex family situations.

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Family-Based professionals also work closely with supervisors and other providers to help ensure treatment remains focused on the family’s needs and goals.

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Learn more about the professionals who provide Family-Based care:
What Does a Family-Based Mental Health Professional Do?

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How Long Do Family-Based Mental Health Services Last?

Family-Based Mental Health Services typically last up to 32 weeks, depending on the needs of the family.

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Throughout treatment, the goal is not simply to address the immediate crisis. Families work toward building skills, relationships and support systems that can continue after the program ends.

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Discharge planning takes place as part of the treatment process. The Family-Based team may help connect families with community resources, coordinate continued services and develop an aftercare plan based on the child and family’s ongoing needs.

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What Happens After Family-Based Services End?

Completing FBMHS does not mean families are expected to handle everything on their own.

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Planning for what comes next can include outpatient therapy, community services, school supports or other resources that help maintain the progress made during treatment.

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Learn more about preparing for discharge:
What Happens After Family-Based Mental Health Services?

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How to Get Started With Family-Based Mental Health Services

Referrals to Family-Based Mental Health Services can come from many sources, including:

• Parents and caregivers

• Psychiatrists

• Therapists

• Case managers

• School professionals

• Other mental health providers

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Before services can begin, families will need a prescription or recommendation for Family-Based Mental Health Services and an eligibility evaluation completed by a licensed psychologist or physician.

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Once a referral is received, Laurel Life works with the family and appropriate providers to help determine the next steps.

Ready to learn more or make a referral?

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[Contact Laurel Life / Complete Referral Form]

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Family-Based Mental Health Services Near You

Laurel Life provides Family-Based Mental Health Services to families across several counties in Central Pennsylvania.

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Adams and York Counties

Families in Adams and York counties can receive Family-Based Mental Health Services through Laurel Life’s York-area team.

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Learn About Family-Based Mental Health Services in York County

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Cumberland and Perry Counties

Families in Cumberland and Perry counties can access Family-Based Mental Health Services through Laurel Life’s Mechanicsburg-area team.

Learn About Family-Based Mental Health Services in Mechanicsburg

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Franklin and Fulton Counties

Families in Franklin and Fulton counties can access Family-Based Mental Health Services through Laurel Life’s Chambersburg-area team.

Learn About Family-Based Mental Health Services in Chambersburg

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Family-Based Mental Health Resources for Families

Learning about Family-Based Mental Health Services can help families know what to expect and make informed decisions about care.

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Explore these resources for more information:

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Who Qualifies for Family-Based Mental Health Services?

Learn about eligibility requirements, referrals and how families begin the process.

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Read About FBMHS Eligibility

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What to Expect During Your First 30 Days

Learn what happens when services begin, how the team gets to know your family and how treatment goals are established.

Learn What to Expect

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What Do Family-Based Services Look Like at Home?

Learn how providing mental health services in the family’s own environment can help clinicians address real-life challenges.

Learn About In-Home Family Mental Health Services

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Understanding Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy

Learn about ESFT and how Family-Based treatment addresses relationships and patterns throughout the family system.

Learn About ESFT

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What Happens After FBMHS?

Learn how families prepare for discharge, maintain progress and connect with ongoing supports.

Learn About Life After Family-Based Services

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Take the Next Step

If your family is struggling with significant emotional or behavioral challenges, you do not have to navigate them alone.

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Laurel Life’s Family-Based Mental Health Services bring intensive support directly into the home and work with children and caregivers together to strengthen relationships, build practical skills and create greater stability.

Laurel Life is accepting referrals for eligible families in Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Perry and York counties.