Referral of Children & Adolescents to Support Service Teams

Purpose

Effective May 23, 2011, children and adolescents may be referred to Support Services Teams (SST).  The Department of Human Services has worked with the Illinois State Board of Education regarding school observation. An announcement was sent to all superintendents.

Since children referred to SST may also have a serious emotional disturbance, we worked with the Division of Mental Health (DMH) related to Screening, Assessment and Support Services (SASS) and other children's mental health services. DMH has sent a notice to all these providers as well.

Process and Procedure

The referral process and criteria for children will be the same as the referral process and criteria for adults. Please see: SST Referral Process Narrative & Flow Chart . Initially, SST referrals of children will come from the children and adolescents receiving the following services funded by the Division of Developmental Disabilities:

• Children's In-Home Support Waiver
• Children's Residential Waiver
• Child Care Institutions

Other children and adolescents may be referred as an exception. As children will be served within the funding available to SST, children and adolescents will be considered along with adults to determine referral to SST.

SST will follow similar processes for children as they do for adults:

• observing a young person across all environments
• collecting data about the child's health and behavioral functioning
• making comprehensive recommendations
• providing training and consultation
• assisting in implementing recommendations
• documenting progress
• closing when improvements in the reason for referral have been achieved

If you have any questions about referral of children to SST, please contact your Network Facilitator or: 

Tiffany M. Bailey
Phone:  (815) 288-8376
Email:  Tiffany.Bailey@illinois.gov