If you have a client / patient that you believe requires more intensive services than what they are currently receiving and / or a higher level of care, we first ask that you consider the immediate safety of the client / patient or those around them. AK Child & Family is not an acute intervention. If there is concern for bodily harm towards themselves or others, please contact your local hospital; emergency department; and/or law enforcement in cooperation with the child’s guardian, to address safety and stabilization.

A referral for assessment for follow-up care upon stabilization can be made concurrently.

A referral placed by a provider can be done by contacting the AK Child & Family Admissions Department to discuss the clinical concerns for your client / patient. A clinician will do a preliminary consideration of the needs of the child to better help identify whether a referral to AK Child & Family treatment programs is appropriate.

General criteria for AK Child & Family treatment programs includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• The child is age-appropriate.
  • For Residential level of care this includes children ages approximately 12-18.
  • For Treatment Foster Care and Home-Based levels of care this includes children ages approximately 3-21.

• The child is currently experiencing an emotional and / or behavioral disorder that has been diagnosed (the Intake Clinical Therapists of our Admissions Department are qualified to assess and diagnose).

• The symptoms have been present for at least 6 months and have significantly impacted functioning in at least one or more of the following areas: school, home, community.

• Additional emotional / behavioral health services are expected to help improve the condition of the child or prevent regression.

• Outpatient interventions have been attempted and are unsuccessful and / or are not adequately addressing the clinical concerns for the child.

• The child must have the intellectual capacity to participate in treatment. Our minimal cognitive functioning criteria is a full scale IQ of at least 70.

   

We ask that you place a referral in cooperation with the child’s guardian. You and / or the guardian can complete our one-page Application and Release of Information forms that can be found on our website under the link for Admissions. Please make sure to include releases for yourself as well as past mental health providers and / or psychiatric hospitals; any past evaluators; the child’s current school; as well as any agencies that are otherwise involved in the child’s life (for example, the Office of Children’s Services and / or Department of Juvenile Justice, ICWA).   

What should be expected during the assessment process?

Once a complete referral is received (Application, release forms, as well as any clinical documentation available that speaks to the child’s emotional distress and history) an Intake Clinical Therapist will begin the assessment. This assessment includes interviews with the guardian, the child, the current treatment provider(s), as well as other sources as determined necessary. Upon its completion, recommendations will be made in regards to appropriate level of services. If services with AK Child & Family are recommended, an admission to the appropriate program will be scheduled. If other services are recommended outside the
AK Child & Family system of care, these recommendations will be communicated to you and guardian to be considered.