| Intensive
Family Education and Support (IFES) Services
IFES services expand the range of services available to families
whose children ages birth through 21 have extraordinary needs
and a developmental disability. Intensive Services is a Medicaid
Waiver program which provides strong case management and an
array of other support services.
Intensive Family Education & Support (IFES) is designed
to meet the needs of families whose children have extraordinary
medical or behavioral needs as well as a developmental disability.
By providing more resources to these families, CDC hopes to
prevent out-of-home placement for children now living with
their natural families and to allow children living in more
restrictive environments, such as group homes, to return to
the natural families or to be placed with foster families.
This program has a strong case management component. The
Family Support Specialist (case manager) will assure eligible
families are aware of and utilize appropriate services. Examples
of such services include respite care, minor physical modifications
to the home, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech
therapy, adaptive equipment, and habilitation aidee services.
Each families' needs will be considered when developing an
Individualized Family Service Plan and personalized cost plan.
Child Development Center is a licensed child placement agency
and recruits foster homes when all efforts to keep a child
in their natural home fails.
Crisis management is another component of IFES designed to
provide an appropriate and positive resolution to the family
or child's crisis. CDC has a crisis team in the Missoula and
Kalispell offices, and a detailed crisis intervention process
that ensures crisis are responded to quickly and professionally.
Child Development Center strives to remain current in intervention
approaches and teaching techniques. Current innovative approaches
include:
- Functional
Analysis of Behavior
- Person
Centered Planning
- Creating
positive behavioral supports
- Alternative
communication systems
- Personal
profile books
- Social
stories
|
