Children's Single Point of Access (CSPOA)
The St. Luke’s Hospital
Child and Family Institute’s Citywide Children’s Single Point of Access (CSPOA)
is designed to streamline the application process for the intensive mental health
services for children, ages 5 to 17.9, throughout New York City. These children have difficulties
in their life domains – at home, school and the community.
These children and adolescents are at risk for hospitalization and/or placement
in residential care.
Once the CSPOA specialist receives your Universal Referral Form and required documentation, they will determine the level of care
and refer the child to the appropriate treatment provider in one of the following programs:
Home and Community-Based Services Waiver:
The program offers the highest level of outpatient psychiatric care outside of a hospital environment.
The goal is to help families keep their children at home - even when they are eligible for placement in
residential treatment facilities or in-patient care. HCBSW Services can include: respite care, skill-building services,
family support, intensive in-home and crisis responses services.
Intensive Case Management:
This program provides a trained child mental health specialist to work with the child and the family.
The ICM worker coordinates services for families by identifying children’s needs and strengths
and by advocating for them.
Blended Case Management:
This program provides a seamless transition between Intensive Case Management Services and less intensive
Supportive Case Management Services. This provides continuity and familiarity to children who fluctuate
between intensive and less critical levels of service.
Family Based Treatment:
This program places children in homes with professionally trained parents who work with Seriously Emotionally Disturded (SED) children with the
goal of returning the child to his or her own home as soon possible while meeting their mental health needs.
Please note that this is not foster care and has no connection with the Administration for Children’s Services.
Community Residence:
These are small therapeutic group homes, supervised by specially trained staff with clinical services provided
by local mental health programs in the community. Please note that this is not a group home or foster care placement,
but a service provided by the Office of Mental Health.
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) - Brooklyn Only:
The Brooklyn ACT team works with children between the ages of 5 and 17.9 who reside in Central Brooklyn and Canarsie.
In order to be qualified for the Brooklyn ACT team, a child must have met with a Mobile Crisis Team, been to the psychiatric ER
or been hospitalized within the past 12 months. The ACT team functions in the home providing services in a multi-disciplinary
team approach. Members of the team include: a psychiatrist, nurse, social worker, parent advocate and case manager.
The ACT team has a capacity of 40 children.
For Referral Information Contact
Children's Single Point of Access (CSPOA)
1-888-CSPOA-58
1-888-277-6258
Universal Referral Form
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