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1. What is the Mental Health program?

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

2. What is mental health?

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

3. What is a serious emotional disturbance?

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.

4. What is a serious and persistent mental illness?

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.

5. Who can make a referral to the Mental Health program?

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.

6. How do I enroll in the Mental Health program?

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.

7. What happens after I make a referral?

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.

8. What are the levels of case management?

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.

9. What does a supports coordinator do?

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.

10. Who is eligible for case management?

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.

11. Once I am assigned to a level of case management, am I locked into that level?

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.