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1. What is the Youth & Family Care Connection?

The YFCC, a new and innovative behavioral health service program for Oakland County youth and families, is being launched by Oakland Community Health Network. This one of- a-kind program includes community access for behavioral health triage and care coordination, as well as a separate Crisis Care Unit for children aged 17 and under. Youth can receive services in the unit for up to 72 hours as determined by a mental health screening and based on capacity.

The YFCC and the Crisis Care Unit provide a new level of care for youth in Oakland County and fill a gap in services. Anticipated outcomes for these services include expanding behavioral health services for families in crisis, reducing extended hospital emergency department stays, and offering psychiatric interventions that could potentially avoid inpatient hospitalization.

2. Where is the Youth and Family Care Connection (YFCC) located?

The YFCC is located on the Oakland County complex at the Resource and Crisis Center (RCC). The RCC is located at 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 32E, in Pontiac. Walk-in screenings and assessments for youth and families occur on the first-floor entrance of the Resource and Crisis Center on Hospital Drive.

The YFCC onsite Crisis Care Unit is located on the second floor. Admission to the crisis unit requires an emergency assessment and is coordinated by New Oakland Family Center (NOFC).

3. What if youth and family arrive at the Resource and Crisis Center and enter the building by the main door?

Preferably, the youth and family/legal guardian enter the YFCC at the entrance on the lower level on the east side of the building, located on Hospital Drive. If a family enters through the front entrance of the RCC, they will be escorted to the YFCC lobby.

4. What are the hours of operation for the YFCC?

The YFCC and the Crisis Care Unit are staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week by a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals.

5. What age groups does the YFCC serve?

The YFCC assists and supports youth 17 years and younger who are in crisis and need to be assessed for the appropriate level of care.

6. What services are provided at the YFCC?

All youth are triaged upon arrival at the YFCC; not all screenings will result in an admission to the YFCC Crisis Care Unit. The YFCC Crisis Care Unit:

• Provides psychiatric evaluation, medication management (if advised), individual and group psychotherapy, recreational activities, coordination with outpatient treatment providers, and other interventions as needed for up to 72 hours.
• Is not a replacement for physical healthcare services provided by hospital emergency departments. Youth and families experiencing a physical healthcare crisis should call 911 or seek help at their local hospital emergency department (ED) or urgent care.
• Is not a replacement for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.

7. How many beds are available at the YFCC?

The YFCC crisis unit has eight rooms, each with a private bathroom. There is also a common area to facilitate groups or activities. Additionally, the unit hosts an equipped Calming Center and Relaxation Room to assist with de-escalation in a private space.

8. Is the YFCC for youth who have Medicaid only?

No. Any youth who resides in Oakland County can visit the YFCC for services, regardless of insurance.

9. Are parents or legal guardians able to stay with their children at the YFCC?

Parents/legal guardians are required to stay with their children during the triage, assessment, and intake process (if CCU admission criteria are met). Admission to the YFCC Crisis Care Unit is determined by the assessment and screening process. Parents/legal guardians of youth admitted to the YFCC Crisis Care Unit are provided regular access to their children and given frequent status updates. Parents/legal guardians are not allowed to stay in the Crisis Care Unit overnight. Visiting hours for the Crisis Care Unit are being determined.

10. What is a Parent Navigator and how do they work within the YFCC?

A Parent Navigator will provide peer-delivered support to parents of youth with SED/IDD in the public mental health system. These supports include providing relevant information to families, and sharing their own experiences to help parents understand their child’s needs and linking the families to groups and services appropriate for their needs. Parent Navigators have lived experience as a parent with a child in the public mental health system. The Parent Navigator will also follow up with families to ensure proper linkage to services.

11. How is this unit different than other services that exist, like Common Ground and the Oakland Assessment Crisis Intervention Services (OACIS)?

• The YFCC and the Crisis Care Unit are for youth ages 17 and younger only. The delivery of services requires parental/legal consent to be admitted if needed.
• The YFCC Crisis Care Unit provides active treatment, including psychiatric evaluation, individual/group therapy, recreational activities, active coordination with outpatient providers, primary physical care, and other treatment as needed.
• Youth who are determined to need mental health services in the YFCC Crisis Care Unit may remain in the unit for up to 72 hours while treatment is given. While the intention of the CCU is to intervene so that children in crisis are stabilized and diverted from inpatient hospitalization, it is possible that a level of care higher than the CCU is necessary. In such cases, referral to a higher level of care, such as inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, may be explored.

12. Can youths who have an Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) diagnosis receive services at the YFCC?

Yes.

13. What if my child is brought to an Emergency Department at a local hospital due to a mental health crisis?

The YFCC clinicians are skilled in coordinating care with hospital emergency department (ED) Departments. The staff in the ER will communicate with YFCC clinicians who complete an emergency screening assessment and assist in obtaining the appropriate level of care.

14. How do I contact the YFCC?

The number for the YFCC is 800-395-3223.