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Our Work With Schools
New Jersey CMOs provide community-based care management services for children struggling in the areas of mental health, behavioral health, substance use, or development issues. As part of our approach, we work closely with various types of community partners – such as schools – to coordinate care and so we can be the most effective in supporting the youth in our care.
Partnering For Students
Schools play a critical role in both identifying issues and being a part of the team who can help youth overcome them. Here are a few of the ways schools and CMOs work together:
- Child-Family Team Participation: Using the Wraparound Approach, our goal is to provide the youth and family with the needed support so the youth can be successful in their home, in their school, and in their community. To do this, we establish a Child-Family Team to support the youth in all life domains, including education. A key part of the team’s success is including school personnel.
- Care Coordination: One of the roles of a CMO is to coordinate services and create plans tailored to every child’s individual needs and based on strengths of all team members involved in an effort to positively impact the youth’s wellbeing. Ultimately, our goal is to create a seamless care network to support youth in all facets of their life. As part of this approach, we collaborate with teachers, nurses, counselors, and other school staff to implement these care plans so the youth is getting what they need to succeed at school and at home.
- Supporting Students with Special Needs: Students with disabilities or special healthcare needs often require additional support to fully participate in school activities. CMOs support the development of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and attend Child-Study Teams along with the parent/caregiver.
- Nurtured Heart Approach Training: Many New Jersey CMO employees are certified in the Nurtured Heart Approach, a therapeutic method that focuses on creating connected relationships, emphasizing positive behaviors, and helping transform challenging behaviors to help children and adults. CMOs can educate and train school staff in the Nurtured Heart Approach to be able to implement the approach in their schools.
- Event Participation: CMOs attend parent-teacher nights, co-sponsor community events in conjunction with schools, and attend school staff service days, all to serve as an additional resource supporting their local school districts.
By partnering together, schools and CMOs can be more effective in their efforts to help any youth in their care who are struggling. To find your local CMO and start a conversation today, click here.