FAQs

The York / Adams Mental Health program supports people living in York or Adams County, including:

• Children ages 3 to 18 who have a serious emotional disturbance, which is a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that seriously affects their daily life
• Adults ages 18 and up who have a serious and persistent mental illness

Mental health refers to a person's psychological, emotional, and social wellbeing; in other words, how someone thinks, feels, and interacts with others.

A serious emotional disturbance is when a child under age 18 has a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that seriously impairs or interferes with their daily life at home, at school, or in their community.

A serious and persistent mental illness is when an adult age 18 or up has a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that seriously impairs or interferes with their daily life.

Anyone can make a referral.  Referrals come from a variety of sources, including the individuals themselves, their families, doctors, therapists, hospitals, social workers, and other provider agencies.

To get started, call our office at 717-771-9618 and let the person you speak with know that you are interested in getting Mental Health services.  Your call will be transferred to a supports coordinator who will ask you some questions such as your name, date of birth, contact information, and information about your condition and how it affects your daily life.  You may also be asked to schedule an intake appointment or submit paperwork that helps establish that you are eligible for services.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have about the program.

If you are found eligible for services, you will be assigned one of three levels of case management.  The Mental Health program uses an assessment tool called an Environmental Matrix to determine your level of case management.  You will then be assigned to a supports coordinator.

There are three levels of Mental Health Case Management:

• Administrative Case Management 
  • They provide intake services.
  • They also coordinate services for people who may only need service from time to time.
• Resource Coordination
  • They coordinate services for people who regularly need services.
• Intensive Case Management
  • They coordinate services for people who need more intense and frequent services.

Your supports coordinator will:

• Help assess your needs.
• Help you develop goals and a Goal Plan to reach those goals.
• Give you information on services, supports, and resources.
• Help you enroll in services.
• Help you get on a waiting list if certain services aren't available right away.
• Help you enroll in community programs and supports.
• Coordinate and monitor your progress, services, and supports.

Children ages 3 to 18 are eligible for case management if they have a serious emotional disturbance.

Adults ages 18 and up are eligible for case management if one of the following applies:

• They have a serious and persistent mental illness.
• They received mental health services as children and were reviewed by the provider and approved by the county administrator as needing case management services as adults.

No, you can be transferred to a more or less intensive level of case management if it is determined to be appropriate at that time.  If your are receiving services and feel that you should have a more or less intensive level of case management, feel free to discuss it with your supports coordinator.