Overview of ASCF’s Clinical Consultation Program
Children and families involved in child-serving systems are more likely to have developmental, physical, or psychiatric disabilities, and to have had adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Additionally, children with child welfare involvement often experience continued instability and changes in providers, case managers, caregivers, schools, etc. These complex presentations can often leave families and the serving providers lost, confused, and unsure of what direction to go in treatment.
ASCF’s consultation program aims to enhance the quality of services provided to children in or at-risk of entering the child welfare system. As a multidisciplinary team of trauma specialists, ASCF’s team of providers have been trained to identify needs and provide evidence-based, trauma-informed services and supports to help children, families, and the systems working with them to overcome past negative experiences.
Consultation Philosophy
Utilizing a Motivational Interviewing and trauma-focused framework, the consulting clinicians aim to accomplish the following during consultations:
Engage
Focus
Evoke
Recommend
- Engage participants by enhancing psychological safety and connection,
- Focus in on the presenting concerns,
- Evoke curiosity surrounding the case to enhance a trauma-informed conceptualization and understanding, and
- Recommend brief, strategic recommendations the team can immediately implement.
All Star Consultation Approach
ASCF has a consultation team of skilled providers that meet weekly to review consultation cases. Consultation appointments are scheduled with one ASCF clinician as the facilitator, a second clinician as co-facilitator and note taker, and CCM as clinical support.
Consultations will be assigned to clinicians with expertise and experience in treatment of similar cases, specializing in understanding trauma and evidence-based treatment approaches to best serve this population. Within the consultation team, each clinician has two hours of blocked consultation time each week dedicated to this program.
Consultation Referrals
Referrals may include concerns related to mental health, development, medication, physical health, and placement issues. For more information regarding ASCF’s Clinical Consultation Program, contact ASCF’s Clinical Director, Chelsea Hernandez at ChelseaH@allstarchildren.org.
