How is Hillside Children's Center funded?
This is a very common question that has a complex answer. Hillside Children's Center has as a wide range of funders due to its large array of services and wide geographical span. Currently our largest service base is within Monroe County, New York, which includes Rochester and the surrounding suburbs. Therefore, the Department of Social Services (New York State Office of Children and Family Services) and Office of Mental Health are two examples of funders in Monroe County and other counties through which most of Hillside Children's Center families are referred. The United Way also provides important funding to Hillside Children's Center. Federal, state and local grants and private donations make up the remaining portion of the funding. For a breakdown of funding by percentages, please refer to the Financial Statements under Hillside Children’s Center.
Once the referred family is accepted for services, Hillside Children's Center is paid by the funder for the services provided to the family. Descriptions of the type of services offered by Hillside Children’s Center can be found under Our Services.
Who decides what the fee is for Hillside Children's Center services?
The funder and Hillside Children's Center agree on what individual services are to be provided to the referring family and the rate to be granted Hillside Children’s Center for that service. The standard rate would include what is determined in the standard contract previously established between the funder and Hillside Children's Center. If additional services are required, such as a specialized therapy, then a fee for that service extension may be added as well, or in some cases, negotiated. In other situations, insurance or parents may pay for (and in some cases are reimbursed for) a portion of the service.
Customized and wrap-around services are being developed for families whose needs cannot be met by standard delivery models. By customizing a service, or providing a wrap-around service that breaks traditional boundaries, Hillside Children's Center can often better help a family. This may require that a funder or Hillside Children’s Center provide money to pay for basic needs of the family so they can then better concentrate on their emotional needs.
What if a family has insurance, can they refer their child to Hillside Children's Center? What if a family has no insurance?
The mental health service system is very complex and is often difficult to navigate, especially when dealing with family issues. A family, with or without insurance, who calls Hillside Children's Center in need of services is able to begin the process with this phone call. After listening to the family member, Hillside Children's Center will, if appropriate, refer the family to a funder, who will likely refer the family to a service provider (which may or may not be Hillside Children's Center.) Hillside Children's Center is always willing to assist families in need by giving appropriate phone numbers and names of people to contact.
The funder will work with the family and inquire about insurance. If a family has Blue Choice, for example, then this may be used to pay for all or most medical care if a child is placed out of the home. If the family does not have insurance, then Medicaid may be accessed. If services are indicated and the funder accepts the family, treatment is paid for by that funder.
What is Hillside Children's Center’s success rate? How do you know if the services work?
Hillside Children's Center's success rates are articulated differently depending upon the specific services being offered. As an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies, Hillside Children's Center uses Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan and Norton, Harvard) methodology to measure and manage its overall strategy. The scorecard employs specific measures from customer, internal work process, learning, and financial perspectives to focused strategic objectives. Using the measures, progress towards meeting these objectives can be tracked and the results are reported to the Hillside Children's Center leadership. Data are collected and analyzed regarding service effectiveness. Adjustments are made to ensure that we continue to provide the best service possible to our children and families.
There are other methods as well. Hillside Family of Agencies has a Performance Improvement (PI) Team whose sole purpose it is to ensure that our staff becomes familiar with performance improvement tools that assist them in their work. The PI team also conducts follow-up surveys with clients to determine satisfaction levels within our services, and makes recommendations based on the opinions of the families surveyed. Additionally, the Hillside Customer Satisfaction Line is available for all Hillside families. This phone number and e-mail address allows families to access Hillside customer service personnel regarding any concerns they may have during the treatment process. These concerns often identify opportunities for improvement and are analyzed by our PI team to in order to be incorporated in staff training.
Also, the Hillside Parents’ Roundtable meets monthly to identify and review agency policies and procedures that will help strengthen Hillside’s vision of partnering with parents. Hillside believes in partnering with parents, recognizing that the parent is the expert of their family and can help to increase Hillside’s ability to provide a child or family clinical treatment. Parents serve alongside staff members, setting policy, designing marketing materials, and hiring staff. In some areas of the agency, parents have been hired as "parent advocates" to work with parents coming into services by providing first-hand guidance about the treatment process.
The resource, information and communication center of Hillside Family of Agencies is the Integration Center, which can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (585) 256-7500 or through info@hillside.com. Hillside’s Integration Center provides both information and access to services to Hillside Children’s Center, and can assist with access to Crestwood Children’s Center and Hillside Work Scholarship Connection. A call to Hillside’s Integration Center should result in only one transfer to the person or department you need.
Hillside’s Integration Center also provides after-hours clinical back-up and support to staff, foster parents, and families in services. Calls are often received from the community from those families that have questions about family issues and/or services available within Hillside Family of Agencies or throughout the community. The Integration Center also keeps an eye on the utilization of children/families who are in care. Upon admission, a projected length of stay is determined for each client. Integration monitors the status of this information to predict when service openings will become available to waiting children or families.
The Integration Center is also responsible for all client information. Hillside Family of Agencies adheres to strict policies regarding the collecting, housing, and storing of client protected health information. Federal guidelines have been established to protect clients’ privacy rights.
Childhood and adolescence can be a very difficult time for a youth with emotional and behavioral challenges. Parents, grandparents, or even, a sister or brother of a youth with these types of challenges may also face difficulties.
It is often helpful at times like this to find someone to talk to who can appreciate your situation. In school, you may find comfort in talking to a guidance counselor, teacher, nurse, vice-principal, or even, a former teacher who you trust.
Parents can talk to other parents, but interestingly enough, will often not want to talk about problems to other family members. Given that, a family doctor, clergy member, or school guidance counselor may be good resources.
In many towns, there are free confidential youth services which can be accessed by searching in the local telephone directory. Your family’s general practitioner or pediatrician is also a good resource.
The Hillside Integration Center may be another option for your family. Hillside staff members are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to listen and link community members to local resources. If you feel you are in a crisis situation, meaning that you or someone is in danger of being hurt, or if you are afraid for any reason, please dial 911.
Above all, it is important for you and your family to get the help and support needed to overcome your challenges. You shouldn’t have to go through it alone.
Having the courage to call us when your family is hurting or your child is at risk is the first step toward putting you back on the path to building a new future. At Hillside Family of Agencies we’re here to help you. Call our helpline at (585) 256-7500 any time, any where. You can also e-mail us at info@hillside.com.
Together, we will build better futures for our children and families.
