Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question not included on this page, don't hesitate to reach out and we'll answer your question to the best of our ability: [email protected]. A member of the Community Resource & Development Team will be in touch!

What is Capitol County Children's Collaborative (CCCC)?

• Capitol County Children’s Collaborative (CCCC) is the designated Care Management Organization (CMO) for Mercer County.  We are a non-profit organization dedicated to serving families and their children up to age 21 with emotional, behavioral and/or substance abuse challenges, physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities, or involved with the juvenile justice system.  
• Capitol County Children’s Collaborative is part of a statewide effort to ensure that children experiencing mental and behavioral health, intellectual/developmental and substance challenges have access to a full array of state and community resources.  Our Goal is to keep children in their own homes, schools and communities. We provide direct, face-to-face care coordination and wrap around care planning for children and their families with the most complex needs. 
• CCCC's mission is to empower children and families by providing individualized care that promotes healthy and independent family functioning.  We believe that children and their families are remarkably resilient and more than capable of positive growth and development when provided with effective community-centered service and support.

Do you only serve Mercer County Families?

• Yes, Capitol County Children’s Collaborative is the Mercer County Care Management Organization (CMO) and is only able to serve residents of Mercer County.  There are Care Management Organizations available to residents of other counties and are located in Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape Atlantic, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris/Sussex, Ocean, Passaic, Tri-County (Hunterdon Somerset Warren) and Union to serve the residents within their counties.  You can find each CMO at NJCMO.org

Why do I call PerformCare to find help for my child?

• PerformCare is the single point of entry to access services for mental and/or behavioral health issues, developmental disabilities and/or substance misuse available publicly through the New Jersey's Children's System of Care for youth up to age 21.
• Parents or legal guardians can call PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624 to access services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
• PerformCare will conduct an assessment and link the youth and family with the services they need in the most appropriate setting. These services may include: care management, mobile response and stabilization services, a more extensive needs assessment, outpatient services, among other options. PerformCare may authorize Children's Mobile Response Stabilization Services (MRSS) to come to your home within one hour of notification to provide face-to-face crisis services. The goal is to stabilize behavior and keep your child at home. Mobile response is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can offer up to eight weeks of stabilization services. In Mercer County, these services are contracted with Catholic Charities.
• There are many guides and brochures available in multiple languages on the Children's System of Care website to help you understand the services available. PerformCare also has a 3-minute video available with Spanish subtitles. There is a new Spanish-language mini-site integrated on the PerformCare website 

Are there any other ways to get involved with CMO services?

• If you already have an outpatient provider involved, they can complete the Clinical Summary Template and recommend/refer to CMO services.  Licensed school personnel can also complete the Clinical Summary Template, with consent from the caregiver.

How much does it cost to get my child help through CMO/CCCC?

• There is no charge for CMO services.  Access to services provided under the Children's System of Care (CSOC), such as Care Management Organization (CMO) requires you to complete a Medicaid application. In doing so, your family may be found eligible for Medicaid as secondary insurance, or your child may be approved for state funds that cover the cost of certain behavioral health services to supplement your private insurance benefits. Services are available to the family in a cost-effective manner and without regard to income level, insurance status, languages spoken, or involvement with other systems.  Capitol County Children’s Collaborative will not charge your family a fee. Your Care Manager will work with your Child and Family Team to maximize the use of low cost, in-network and free sustainable resources.

What is the Wraparound Approach and why is it important?

• NJCMO has already put together a great website diving into the Wraparound Approach.  
• The Wraparound approach is a model of care utilized to assist in providing person centered planning and help keep children in their homes, schools and communities.  Wraparound puts the youth and family at the center. With support from a team of professionals and natural supports, the family’s ideas and perspectives on what they need and what will be helpful drive the work in Wraparound.
• The youth and their family members work with a Care Manager to build their Child Family Team (CFT), which can include the family’s friends and people from the wider community, as well as providers of services and supports.
• With the help of the CFT, the youth and family take the lead in deciding team vision and goals, and in developing an individualized service plan that incorporates a combination of services, informal supports and community-based resources that will help them achieve their goals and vision. Team members work together to put the plan into action, monitor how well it’s working, and make changes as needed.

How long will my child receive help from Capitol County Children's Collaborative (CCCC)?

• Length of service is dependent on individualized needs, however on average youth and families remain engaged with CCCC for 8-12 months. 

How often will I meet with or have contact with my Care Manager?

• Care Managers complete face to face meetings with the youth and family weekly for the first 30 days to assess youth/family’s strengths and needs.  After 30 days a Child Family Team (CFT) meeting is held to develop the Individualized Service Plan (ISP).  Following the CFT meeting, your assigned Care Manager will meet with you and your child at least twice per month dependent upon individualized service needs.  CFT meetings will be held approximately every 60-90 days to evaluate progress and update the ISP as needed. 
• In addition to bi-weekly face to face contact with your child, a minimum of one weekly conversation between you and your Care Manager is required. We encourage you to contact your Care Manager as often as needed, especially during times of crisis. 

What can I do to make my Child Family Team more effective?

• Allow us to invite your school to join the team. Schools are invaluable members of the CFT regardless of whether your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, and whether your child has behavioral or academic concerns.  If your child is thriving and successful in the school environment, the school personnel can share techniques and strategies to replicate them in the home.  If your child receives specialized services through the school such as physical, occupational or speech therapy, these could possibly be replicated and utilized in the home as well.
• Allow us to communicate with your child’s pediatrician regarding your care.
• Notify your Care Manager if your child is hospitalized for mental health reasons and allow your Care Manager to speak to the hospital regarding smooth discharge planning and transition home.
• If your child is receiving a higher level of care at an intensive outpatient program or partial hospitalization program, allow your Care Manager to collaborate with the program staff to facilitate smooth transition back to school and home.
• Ask your Care Manager about adding a Parent Partner from the Family Support Organization of Mercer County to your Child and Family Team.  Parent Partners are invaluable support for caregivers.  Each Parent Partner has raised a child with special needs and is very helpful to explain the services as well as identify useful community resources.  
• Ask your Care Manager for a meeting when needed.
• Identify convenient locations and times.
• Identify additional people to join your team to support you and your family.
• Encourage your child’s participation in treatment services.
• Let us know if your child's plan needs to be changed to better address your needs
• Let us know if you are seeing changes (both positive and negative) in your child’s behaviors or needs
• Commit to meeting with your Care Manager regularly and consistently

Why should I have my child's school involved in the Child Family Team?

• Schools are invaluable members of the CFT regardless of whether or not your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, or whether or not your child has behavioral or academic concerns.
• Your Care Manager will collaborate with your youth's Child Study Team, if applicable.
• Regardless of whether or not your child has behavioral or academic concerns at school, having the school involved on the Child and Family Team enables the use of successful strategies and supports in the classroom to be carried over successfully to manage behaviors at home.  
• Once you give your Care Manager permission to invite your child’s school to be an active member of your Child and Family team, you will be empowered through the effective, regular communication and strength of the relationship among your CFT members. A team working together to support the needs of your child and help to sustain progress.

What should I do if my child is hospitalized?

• Call your Care Manager with an update.  Also, please sign the hospital’s Release Form so that the hospital staff can contact your Care Manager and/or your child’s school. This will ensure the Child Family Team collaboration and communication continues through your child’s stay in the hospital. It will also help the team to plan aftercare services for your child and assist with a seamless transition back to the family home.

Glossary of terms/services through the NJ Children's System of Care:

• The acronyms, abbreviations, and the services themselves can be quite confusing to caregivers and professionals from other industries.  You can access the linked website for glossaries to improve understanding.