School-Based Referrals to Short-Term Interventions

Services provided at UR Medicine’s Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness

About Our Short-Term Intervention Services

The READY Program

Families are reaching out for help for their child, maybe for the first time. Now, they’re ready—to better understand and cope with specific challenges impacting their children and family.

The READY program is here to help, with short-term, outpatient therapy that focuses on a few goals to accomplish in 12 therapy sessions or less.

Families work together and with their READY team to:

  • Identify current concerns, family strengths, and treatment goals
  • Actively participate in weekly therapy sessions focused on specific goals
  • Learn about appropriate community and educational resources

It’s a focused, collaborative approach to help families see significant progress in a brief period of time. And it may be just what this child and family needs.

Who is eligible for READY?

Children up to age 18 and their families experiencing distress that is new or related to recent stressors are eligible for the READY Program. They should be able to commit to weekly therapy for up to 12 weeks.

READY is not appropriate for youth:

  • With significant or immediate safety concerns
  • With long-standing and long-term behavioral health needs
  • Who are already receiving mental health services in the community

Short-Term Assessment & Response Team 

START allows families to access interventions quickly – usually within five business days – and consists of a balance between evaluation and intervention. Families meet with their START therapist for one to six sessions. The goal of this short-term treatment is to identify immediate challenges within the family and determine how to better manage them.

Through treatment, families will:

    • Develop greater insight about their child
    • Build on their existing strengths
    • Learn skills to handle future crises, should they arise
    • Identify appropriate community and education supports
    • Work together with their crisis therapist, referring back to their goals and how to best accomplish the

Who is eligible for START?

Youth and families experiencing significant distress related to an identifiable stressor are eligible for our services.

START is not appropriate for youth:

  • With immediate safety concerns  Call 911 or the Mobile Crisis Team at 211
  • Needing same-day evaluations – Contact the Mobile Crisis Team at 211
  • Who are already receiving mental health services in the community

Who Can Make a Referral to READY and START?

Each participating UR-SOS School Team has designated an SOS Referral Lead who has been trained to disposition cases and complete appropriate referrals.  If you are unsure who your SOS Referral Lead is, contact our Project Manager, Corey Nichols-Hadeed at Corey_Nichols@URMC.rochester.edu .

Parents and families can also self-refer to our services by calling our main intake line at (585) 279-7800 and visiting our webpage at https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/behavioral-health-wellness/outpatient.aspx.   

Click to Learn More About UR Medicine's Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness

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Ontario County Applications due 11/18/22

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