CAYAC – connecting your child or teen to mental health resources
I find myself referring families to CAYAC about 5-10 times a week these days. Rather than try to explain what CAYAC is, I asked CAYAC to explain their services directly. Below is a guest blog from the Connections team:
As Fort Collins is growing, it can be difficult to find the right mental health resources for you or your child. Often families feel at a loss about where to start when they are ready to connect with community support. You may have found yourself asking:
- Is what I am experiencing normal?
- Would counseling be helpful for me (or my child)?
- Who takes our insurance?
- What type of treatment or services are best for my child?
- How come every therapist I call doesn’t have openings?
The Connections program was developed to help families navigate the mental health system and ensure that community members get connected to the resource that fits their needs. Connections is comprised of 2 programs, the adult Connections team and the Child and Adolescent team (CAYAC – Child, Adolescent, and Young Adult Connections). Connections partners with many community primary care clinics, Poudre School District, and SummitStone Health Partners for collaboration of care.
Connections Teams (Adult and CAYAC) provide the following services:
- Initial needs assessment to determine mental health concerns and provide treatment recommendations
- Assistance in navigating the complex mental health system in our community and help in connecting with the appropriate services or supports
- Provide education and support for clients and their families
- Short-term counseling services, including parent support
- Community education, trainings, and workshops (Including Mental Health First Aid trainings and our popular “Parenting a Child with ADHD” Workshop!)
CAYAC also provides the following services:
- Short-term psychiatry services
If you are interested in Connections services, contact us today!
Adult team
970-221-5551
https://www.healthdistrict.org/services/connections-adult-services
CAYAC team
970-221-3308
https://www.healthdistrict.org/cayac