Comprehensive Behavioral Health Assessments (CBHA) was introduced in response to legislative changes in the past decade to address the mental health issues of children within the child welfare system. CBHA’s can be done shortly after children are removed from their parents, or later, if a child presents with behaviors indicative of a “severe emotional disturbance." These are specialized one time assessments that are completed on most children who enter the child welfare system. Kinship utilizes contracted licensed clinicians who are certified by Medicaid to provide this service. The completed assessments are used to determine the service needs of the child and the family.

Comprehensive Assessments Goals

The Community Mental Health Services Coverage and Limitations Handbook indicate that CBHA’s have the following goals:

• Provide assessment of areas where no other information exist
• Update pertinent information not considered to be current
• Integrate and interpret all existing and new assessment information
• Provide functional information, including strengths and needs, as well as, culturally sensitive intervention strategies to enable the child to live and receive his or her education in the most inclusive environment
• Provide specific information and recommendations to accomplish family preservation, re-unification, or re-entry and permanency planning.
• Provide data to promote the most appropriate out-of-home placement, when necessary
• Provide the basis for development of an effective, individualized, strength based, culturally sensitive, comprehensive services plan and Medicaid community mental health services individualized treatment plan, when indicated.

In short, the CBHA is a comprehensive written report provided to a child’s “case worker” which than can be shared with the Court and his/her Guardian Ad Litem.