Frequently Asked Questions
Please find answers to most commonly asked questions below. If you can not find the information you need, do not hesitate to contact us.
Child Behavioral Health (CBH) General Questions
Yes, CBH is one of the many initiatives that Behavioral Health Springboard (BHS) develops programs for.
The CBH program of Behavioral Health Springboard consists of a variety of programs:
- Children with Complex Needs
- Rapid Response Team
- Infant Early Childhood Mental Health
- School Behavioral Health
- System of Care
The CBH program leads at BHS are considered contractors for the Division of Child and Family Well-Being (DCFW). They are seen as members of the CBH unit, Whole Child Health Section. The CBH program leads provide support to DCFW program managers in the implementation of child behavioral health specific projects.
Children with Complex Needs (CWCN)
Children with Complex Needs are ages 5 and under 21, with a developmental and/or intellectual disability and a mental health disorder diagnosis who are Medicaid eligible and at risk of not being able to return to or maintain placement in a community setting.
Age range 5-21 years old.
Consumers, families, guardians and stakeholders may contact the Tailored Plans 24/7 access number overseeing their county for further information regarding services for Children with Complex Needs.
If consumers, families and guardians experience any barriers to services please contact Children.ComplexNeeds@dhhs.nc.gov.
Consumers, families, guardians and stakeholders may contact the Tailored Plans 24/7 access number overseeing their county for further information regarding services for Children with Complex Needs. If consumers, families and guardians experience any barriers to services please contact Children.ComplexNeeds@dhhs.nc.gov.
The assessment clinic introduces a clinical team (psychiatrist, family physician, registered nurse, social worker, and psychologist) to provide a thorough review and assessment of the clinical needs of those referred.
The CWCN Children’s Assessment Clinics are located on the campuses of Murdoch Developmental Center & the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center.
Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) is defined as the developing capacity of the infant and young child to: form close and secure relationships; experience, manage, and express a full range of emotions; and explore the environment and learn — all in the context of family, community, and culture.
IECMH is a multidisciplinary field, inclusive of persons from many professional and community backgrounds and systems, focusing on enhancing the emotional and social competence of infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children through healthy relationships. Anyone who touches the lives of babies, young children and their families can contribute to promoting infant and early childhood mental health.
This definition from Zero to Three is utilized by the NC Division of Child and Family Wellbeing and NC Infant Mental Health Association. For information about IECMH and its importance, go to: https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/resource/zero-to-threes-infant-and-early-childhood-mental-health-iecmh-guiding-principles/
IECMH Strategic priority areas for DCFW include: 1) Increase access to children’s behavioral health services by expanding mental health services in primary care, schools, and specialty care 2) Reduce food insecurity among children and youth through increased access to nutrition support services.
BHS supports the IECMH work of DCFW’s Whole Child Health Section, including (but not limited to):
- Child Behavioral Health programs include school mental health programs, System of Care, the pediatric mental health care access program (NC Psychiatric Access Line), evidence-based programs for children and youth, and the Department’s Rapid Response Team.
- Child and Youth health programs in schools and communities, such as school health promotion, home visiting programs, supports for children and youth with special health care needs, genetics and newborn screening and more.
More information on DCFW is here: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/child-and-family-well-being/learn-more-about-dcfw
School Behavioral Health (SBH)
Interventions that youth receive in schools in order to increase social, emotional, or behavioral adjustment and well-being. SBH includes social-emotional learning (SEL); both formal curricula that a school may use, and broader, intentional practices used by school staff to facilitate student social and emotional growth. SBH also includes individualized intervention for students; this can include small-group or 1:1 IEP or 504 social/emotional services, crisis intervention by school staff, services in a school-based mental health clinic, short-term counseling, etc.
All adults in the school building contribute to an environment of safety and wellbeing in the school. Teachers, administrators, teacher aides, janitorial staff, bus drivers, volunteers, and coaches can all approach their interactions with students through a lens of social-emotional wellbeing. There are several types of mental health professionals who may work in the school building, who play key roles in supporting students individually or in small groups. These mental health professionals may also advise other adults in the building on how to support and contribute to student behavioral/social/emotional wellbeing during the school day. These school-based mental health professionals include social workers, counselors, nurses, therapists, and psychologists. You can read more about the benefits of having mental health professionals in schools at this link.
There are several projects that are currently in progress, including:
- Co-leading the state-wide School Mental Health Initiative (SMHI)
- Assisting with course instruction and outreach for Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA and tMHFA)
- Assisting with grant-writing and implementation for initiatives around schools billing Medicaid for eligible mental health services provided in schools
- Working to further social-emotional learning in NC through the Social-Emotional Learning Implementation Team
- Assisting with the planning and execution of the annual Behavioral Health Springboard Child Behavioral Health Conference
- Contributing to the development of online, asynchronous courses:
- Supporting Exceptional Students: The Intersection of Social-Emotional Learning and Disability
- Teaching the Whole Child: Supporting the Social-Emotional Wellness of Preschool and Elementary School-Aged Children
- Intersections and Connections of Restorative Justice, Mental Health, and Education in Schools
- Researching and writing a needs assessment on the current state of mental health workforce development for school-based professionals in North Carolina (to be published in December) and a resulting strategic plan to address shortcomings in the current landscape (to be published in June 2025).