PATHWAY CARING FOR CHILDREN

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - PATHWAY'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT PROVIDES TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE FOR CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND FAMILIES ACROSS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN NORTHEAST OHIO. SERVICES ARE OFFERED IN OUTPATIENT OFFICES, SCHOOLS, HOMES, AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY AND MEET CLIENTS WHERE THEY ARE. WE PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, AND FAMILY THERAPY; CASE MANAGEMENT; EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATION; BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESPITE, AND SPECIALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT FOCUSED ON FAMILY EMPOWERMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUNG PEOPLE. OUR LICENSED CLINICIANS AND CASE MANAGERS USE A RANGE OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO PROMOTE HEALING AND RESILIENCE, INCLUDING TRUST-BASED RELATIONAL INTERVENTION (TBRI), TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (TF-CBT), DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT) SKILLS, EMDR(EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING) AND OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODELS. THESE APPROACHES ADDRESS TRAUMA, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, FAMILY STRESSORS, AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS. AS A DESIGNATED ZERO SUICIDE AGENCY, WE INTEGRATE SYSTEMATIC SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT, SAFETY PLANNING, AND CRISIS RESPONSE INTO OUR CARE MODEL. OUR SERVICES ARE INDIVIDUALIZED AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, EQUIPPING CLIENTS AND FAMILIES WITH TOOLS TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS, REGULATE EMOTIONS, DEVELOP COPING SKILLS, AND BUILD LONG-TERM STABILITY.IN THE PAST YEAR, WE SERVED OVER 1000 CLIENTS ACROSS OUR NORTHEAST OHIO SERVICE AREA, IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY WELL-BEING.PATHWAY PROVIDES PREVENTION SERVICES TO A POPULATION THAT RANGES FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD THROUGH ADULTHOOD AND INCLUDES FAMILIES THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH DESIGNED TO REDUCE RISK FACTORS, STRENGTHEN PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND PROMOTE MENTAL WELLNESS FOR CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES. WE DELIVER SCHOOL- AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS SUCH AS ALL STARS, BOTVIN LIFESKILLS TRAINING, INCREDIBLE YEARS/DINA DINOSAUR, STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, TOO GOOD, AND TRIPLE P IN RURAL AND INNER CITY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST OHIO. THESE PROGRAMS BUILD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS, IMPROVE DECISION-MAKING, AND FOSTER RESILIENCE AGAINST SUBSTANCE USE, VIOLENCE, AND OTHER HIGH-RISK BEHAVIORS. PATHWAY'S CREDENTIALED PREVENTION SPECIALISTS ALSO PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO OFFER WORKSHOPS, GROUP INTERVENTIONS, AND INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT. SERVICES ARE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE AND DEVELOPMENTALLY TAILORED, EQUIPPING PARTICIPANTS WITH TOOLS FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, AND POSITIVE COPING. BY PROMOTING CONNECTEDNESS, COMMUNICATION, AND SELF-ESTEEM, OUR PREVENTION SERVICES REDUCE THE NEED FOR HIGHER LEVELS OF CARE AND STRENGTHEN THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. IN THE PAST YEAR, WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 800 YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH STRUCTURED CURRICULUM GROUPS, CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS ALIGN WITH PATHWAY'S MISSION TO EMPOWER CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL.

FOSTER CARE SERVICES - PATHWAY CARING FOR CHILDREN'S DEDICATED, HIGHLY TRAINED STAFF WORK DILIGENTLY TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND SUPPORT FAMILY AND TREATMENT FOSTER PARENTS ACROSS STARK, CUYAHOGA, SUMMIT, COLUMBIANA, PORTAGE, TUSCARAWAS, AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. IN FY 25 THEY RECEIVED AN AVERAGE OF 75 REFERRALS PER MONTH FOR CHILDREN NEEDING FOSTER CARE DUE TO ABUSE, NEGLECT, FAMILY DISRUPTION, OR EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. OVER THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, PATHWAY HAS SEEN A NOTABLE INCREASE IN REFERRALS DRIVEN BY A RISE IN CHILDREN WITH DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS AND REPEAT PLACEMENTS, A GROWING NUMBER OF NONVERBAL CHILDREN AND THOSE WITH AUTISM, OLDER YOUTH REQUIRING INTENSIVE PHYSICAL CARE, AND LARGER SIBLING GROUPS OF FIVE OR MORE, MANY OF WHOM ARE ENTERING CARE DUE TO HOUSING INSTABILITY; ADDITIONALLY, THERE HAS BEEN A SURGE IN CHILDREN WITH MULTIPLE DIAGNOSES SUCH AS ODD, ADHD, MOOD DISORDERS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PTSD, AND LEARNING DISABILITIES, OFTEN REQUIRING MEDICATION, AS WELL AS MORE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM OR CHILD CARE SETTINGS AND NEED ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION OPTIONS, WITH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER UNABLE TO SHARE ROOMS DUE TO UNSAFE, SEXUALIZED, OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS.THE STAFF THOUGHTFULLY MATCH CHILDREN WITH FAMILIES WHO CAN PROVIDE THE NECESSARY CARE AND SUPPORT. IN FY 25, A TOTAL OF 44 CHILDREN WERE PLACED, AND 111 CHILDREN WERE SERVICED WITHIN THE FOSTER NETWORK. RESPITE FOSTER PARENTS, WHO ARE FULLY TRAINED AND LICENSED, OFFER OTHER FOSTER PARENTS AND COMMUNITY PARENTS A BREAK BY CARING FOR THEIR CHILDREN FOR SHORT PERIODS, SUCH AS OVER A WEEKEND. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, 136 CHILDREN RECEIVED 471 NIGHTS OF RESPITE CARE.SERVICES PROVIDED TO FOSTER CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INCLUDE TRAUMA INFORMED SERVICES INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, PARENTING SUPPORT, REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES, AND CRISIS INTERVENTION. TEENS PLACED IN FOSTER CARE RECEIVE INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES TO PREPARE THEM FOR INDEPENDENCE AT AGE 18.ALL FOSTER CARE OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AIM FOR THE LONG-TERM GOAL THAT EVERY CHILD WILL LEAVE PATHWAY FOR A POSITIVE REASON. IN FY 25, 65 CHILDREN WERE DISCHARGED, WITH 78% OF THOSE DISCHARGES BEING POSITIVE. 25 CHILDREN WHO WERE DISCHARGED, WERE ADOPTED BY THEIR FOSTER PARENTS. THE MONTHLY OUTCOMES MEASURED, WITH A TARGET OF 100%, ARE AS FOLLOWS:- CHILDREN WILL EXPERIENCE STABILITY IN THEIR CURRENT PLACEMENT DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, EVIDENCED BY HAVING FIVE OR FEWER CIRS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. THIS OUTCOME WAS MET AT 100%.- CHILDREN WILL EXPERIENCE INCREASED STABILITY IN THEIR CURRENT PLACEMENT AFTER THREE MONTHS, EVIDENCED BY HAVING TWO OR FEWER CIRS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD. THIS OUTCOME WAS MET AT 94.19%.- 100% OF YOUTH WILL HAVE FEWER THAN TWO PLACEMENT MOVES WITHIN PATHWAY AT THE TIME OF DISCHARGE. THIS OUTCOME WAS MET AT 95.71%