Child Guidance Center Of Southern Ct Inc

Causes: Children & Youth, Children & Youth Services, Human Services, Mental Health, Mental Health Treatment, Victims Services

Mission: The child guidance center of southern connecticut (cgc) is dedicated to improving the mental and behavioral health of children and teens through treatment, education, and community support.

Programs: The child guidance center of southern connecticut's (cgc) largest program, child and family therapy (cft), has been an integral component of cgc since our founding in 1954. This program provides a range of clinic-based diagnostic assessment and treatment services for children and teens in our communities, regardless of their families' ability to pay. In fy2017, cft served 921 children and approximately 1,197 parents. After six months in treatment, 82% of children experienced stabilization and/or improvements in functioning, mood, self-concept and age appropriate development skills. In responding to the most recent quarterly parent survey, 98% of parents said they were satisfied with the services their child received, and 95% indicated they felt more confident in meeting the special needs of their child.

as the state's designated mobile crisis intervention service (mcis) provider for stamford, greenwich, darien and new canaan, cgc's crisis clinicians are available 365 days a year to stabilize emergencies at homes, schools, or in other community locations. The mobile crisis team conducts immediate phone assessments of calls transferred from the connecticut state 211 crisis hotline. If the situation requires a mobile response, the team is expected onsite within 45 minutes. In fy2017, 499 children and approximately 648 parents were served in this program. Cgc's clinicians arrived onsite within 45 minutes in 96% of these cases, far exceeding the state's benchmark of 80%. Crisis was stabilized, safety achieved and improvements realized in 93% of the cases as a result of mobile crisis services.

the child first program is an evidence-based, intensive, home-based service that identifies very young and vulnerable children from high risk families before abuse or neglect has occurred and before a child develops serious problems. This treatment strengthens the parent-child bond and decreases the incidence of serious emotional disturbance; developmental, learning, and health problems; and abuse and neglect in the highest risk infants and toddlers up to age 6. In fy2017, 37 children and their parents received child first services.

in addition to the three largest programs listed in 4a-c, cgc also offers programs which include: multi-dimensional family therapy, system of care and a child advocacy center.