Rightsizing Institutional Care

A Meeting Hosted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the YouthLawCenter

Agency Profiles

Agency Name: Barium Springs

Describe your agency and the services you provide: Founded in 1891, Barium Springs is a Critical Access Behavior Health Agency with a full array of services offered in 41 North Carolina counties. At Barium Springs, we work hard to help as many children and families as we can. Last year wecared for1,927 children. This year, we served 2,995. Due to huge growth in our agency, we cared for 55% more than last year!

Programs/Services We Offer:

  • Adoption &Post Adoption Services
  • Alcohol & Drug Education Training School
  • Community-Based Services
    - Intensive In-Home (IredellCounty)
    - High Country First In Families
    - Sex Abuse Intervention Services
    - Intensive Family Preservation/Reunification Services
  • Early Education/Family Support
    - Early Childhood Education (IredellCounty)
    - NCPre K (IredellCounty)
    - Strengthening Families Program (Iredell &AlexanderCounty)
    - CatawbaValley Healthy Families (BurkeCounty)
  • Foster Care Services
    - Therapeutic Foster Care
    - Family Foster Care
    - Intensive Alternative Family Treatment
  • Outpatient Therapeutic Services
    - Psychiatric Evaluation
    - Medication Management
    - Clinical &Diagnostic Assessments
    - Mental Health Individual &Family Therapy
    - Mental Health Group Therapy
    - Substance Abuse Individual &Group Therapy
    - Court Psychologist Program (Mecklenburg County)
    - Employee Assistance Program
  • Residential Services
    - Locked &Unlocked Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility
    - 3 Department of Social Services(DSS) Licensed Group Homes
    - 2 Level IIGroup Homes
    - 1 Level IIGroup Home with Substance Abuse Focus
    -Independent Living
  • Therapeutic Education (IredellCounty)
  • Training &Teaching Family Services

Do you run any group facilities? Yes

If yes, please describe (include criteria for admitting youth): Barium Springs has eight group homes and one youth independent living program over the three regions. The eight group homes are comprised of three DSShomes, three Level II mental health facilities, and two psychiatric treatment facilities (PRTF). Allprograms use the Teaching-Family Model of Care. Clients live in a family-style home environment with trained and caring staff. On-call consultants are available 24 hoursto provide guidance and support to family teachers. Social, academic, self-help, and independent living components are integrated into daily programming.LPC and PhD level clinicians are availableto youth and families served in our residential programs for assessments and therapy,and contract Psychiatrist are available for psychiatric evaluation and medication management.

DSS Homes:

The three DSS Licensed Homes/Emergency Shelters, serve at risk youth placed by DSS and JCPC who fund the programs.

Home / Location / Capacity
Grannis Home
DSS Licensed Home and Emergency Shelter / Statesville, NC / Capacity: 6
Ages 8-18
Males & Females
Templeton Cottage
DSS Licensed Home and Emergency Shelter / Wilkesboro, NC / Capacity: 9
Ages 8-18
Males & Females
HawthornHeights
DSS Licensed Home and Emergency Shelter
Hawthorn has a JCPC contract that enables the program to also serve self-admitted runaway youth for a temporary period. / Franklin, NC / Capacity: 9
Ages 8-18
Males & Females
Independent Living Program
Currently only open to DSS clients who have a signed CARS agreement. / Statesville, NC / Capacity: 14
Ages 17-21
Males & Females

Level II Mental Health Programs:

The three Level II programs are needs based accessed programs; eligibility is based on medical necessity in accordance with the service definition. Medicaid and NC Health Choice are the primary funding sources.

HowardHome (SA)
Howard serves youth with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. / Statesville, NC / Capacity: 6
Ages 8-18
Males & Females
NelsonHome / Statesville, NC / Capacity: 5
Ages 8-18
Males & Females
Kulynych Cottage / Wilkesboro, NC / Capacity: 9
Ages 8-18
Males & Females

PRTF Homes:

The two PRTF homes provide non-acute inpatient facility care for youth ages 8-18 who have a mental illness and require 24-hour supervision and specialized interventions. Eligibility for the programsis also based on medical necessity.Additionally,referrals are reviewed in weekly staffings to determine fit for current treatment mileu. Medicaid is the primary funding source.

King (Locked) / Statesville, NC / Capacity: 9
Ages 8-18
Males & Females
Sullivan (TASK: Unlocked)
(Treatment Alternative for Sexualized Kids)
Sullivan serves male sex offenders. / Statesville, NC / Capacity: 9
Ages 8-18
Males only

Please share any data you have on length of stay and outcomes for the youth in your group care program(s):

Is there anything else you would like participants to know?