Local Mental Health Resources
For Children and Youth
Presented By: Phyllis Strohmeyer, MA
Outpatient Services Director
West Bergen Mental Healthcare
Community Mental Health System
Bergen County
There are four Community Mental Health agencies
in Bergen County. They are private, non-profit
organizations. Each of those agencies is charged
with providing mental health care for people who
may or may not have limited income and who live
or work within a specific geographical area known
as a catchment area. We each also provide care
for people from outside the catchment area,
particularly as regards to our specialty programs.
Wide Range of Mental Health Services in One-Stop
We all provide individual and group therapy;
psychiatric evaluations; medication monitoring; and
day programs. In addition, each of us has developed
different specialty programs and depending on
what the child’s needs may be, clients may choose
to go to an agency outside their catchment area.
However, in the case of people with low incomes,
their best bet for the lowest fees is to go to the
agency located in their catchment area.
No Community Mental Health agency is able to provide free
care.
The four Bergen County Community Mental Health
Agencies and their catchment areas are:
West Bergen Mental Healthcare with
facilities in Ridgewood, Ramsey and Oakland
Allendale, Franklin Lakes, Glen Rock,
Ho-Ho-Kus, Mahwah, Midland Park, Oakland,
Ramsey, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Upper
Saddle River, Waldwick, Wyckoff
Care Plus, NJ, Inc. with facilities in Paramus
and Fair Lawn
Elmwood Park, Fair Lawn, Hillsdale,
Montvale, Paramus, Park Ridge, Saddle Brook,
Washington Township, Westwood, Woodcliff
Lake
Vantage Health System with facilities in
Dumont and Englewood
Alpine, Bergenfield, Closter, Cresskill,
Demarest, Dumont, Harrington Park, Haworth,
Northvale, Old Tappan, River Vale, Rockleigh,
Tenafly (from the Dumont Center) and
Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Englewood,
Englewood Cliffs, Fairview, Fort Lee, Leonia,
Palisades Park, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park,
Teaneck (from the Englewood Center)
Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare, Inc.
with facilities in Hackensack, River Edge and
Lyndhurst
Bogota, Emerson, Hackensack, Hasbrouck
Heights, Little Ferry, Lodi, Maywood, New
Milford, Oradell, River Edge, Rochelle Park,
South Hackensack, Teterboro (from the
Hackensack and River Edge Offices) and
Carlstadt, East Rutherford, Garfield, Lyndhurst,
Moonachie, North Arlington, Rutherford,
Wallington, Wood-Ridge.
Community-Based Organizations here today for
our panel:
Bergen Family Center with facilities in
Hackensack and Englewood
was founded in 1898 and has developed into the
county’s oldest continuously operating family
service agency.
The agency supports, strengthens and enriches
family life through their programs and services.
Presently they serve approximately 5,000 clients
from their local community.
Bergen County Division of Family Guidance
with offices in Hackensack at One Bergen
County Plaza
provides clinical, residential, educational,
correctional, case management and
monitoring services to at-risk children,
adolescents and families, particularly those
who are otherwise unable to receive the
needed services.
Some services are only available through a
referral from Family Court.
Access for More Information or to Make an
Appointment
Community Mental Health Agencies have a single
point of entry – through their Access Centers.
West Bergen’s Access Center’s Hours of Operation:
(201) 444-3550
Monday – 9-7
Tuesday – 9-5
Wednesday – 9-7
Thursday – 9 – 7
Friday – 9 – 4:30
Vantage’s Access Center’s Hours of Operation:
(201) 567-0059
Monday – Friday – 9 – 5
Care Plus
(201) 986-5000
Monday – Thursday – 9 – 5
Friday – 10 – 4
Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare
(201) 646-0333
Monday – Thursday – 9-5
Friday – 9 – 4
Bergen Family Center
(201) 342-9200 x10
Call the main number and ask for an Intake
Monday through Thursday 9 – 9
Fridays 9 - 5
Bergen County Division of Family Guidance
(201) 336-7350
Monday – Friday 9 – 5
(except Juvenile Family Crisis Intervention Unit – JFCIU
– which has 24/7 access)
The Different Mental Health Professionals you are likely
to find at these agencies
Provisionally Licensed Professionals
Licensed Social Worker (LSW) – An individual who has a
master’s degree or a doctorate degree in social work
and has passed an exam to begin face-to-face clinical
work under the supervision of a fully licensed social
worker.
Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) – An individual who
has a master’s degree or a doctorate degree in
counseling and has passed an exam to begin face-toface clinical work under the supervision of a fully
licensed professional counselor.
Fully Licensed Professionals
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) – An individual
who has an LSW and has completed two years (1,920
hours) of full time face-to-face client contact under
the supervision of a LCSW and has passed the exam
to become fully licensed.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) – An individual
who has an LAC and has completed 4,500 hours of
face-to-face clinical contact under the supervision of
a LPC and has submitted proof of their clinical
requirements.
Psychologists
Doctor of Psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) – An
individual who has achieved a doctorate degree
in Clinical Psychology which requires a solid
understanding of scientific method and
behavioral science. They must participate in
supervised part-time practicum placements in
various clinical settings, followed by an accredited
full-time supervised clinical internship. The Psy.D.
coursework emphasizes the application of this
knowledge to direct clinical intervention in the
diagnosis and treatment of various mental
illnesses while the Ph.D. coursework focuses
more on research and science.
Professionals who can Prescribe Medication
Nurse Practitioners – A nurse with a master’s degree is
an Advance Practice Nurse. A Pediatric Psychiatric
Nurse Practitioner has additional training to
prescribe for children and adolescents who have
mental health needs and has acquired a state license
with Prescription Privileges
Psychiatrist – A physician who holds a Doctor of
Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree
who specializes in behavioral health after receiving
general medical training. They are able to offer
medication as a tool for treatment. A Board Certified
Child Psychiatrist needs to complete two additional
years of training in child and adolescent psychiatry.
What methods of payment are acceptable?
Community Mental Health agencies accept Medicaid
and Medicare. We are in network with some
insurances and help people submit claims for other
insurances. We also accept self-pay (cash,
credit/debit or personal check).
For those who can demonstrate low income and
reside or work within catchment areas there are
sliding scale fees assigned. Some agencies may offer
discounts on fees for those from outside the
catchment areas who can demonstrate low income.
Those discounts do not result in fees being as low as
they would be if the services were provided within
catchment areas.
Division of Family Guidance
There are no fees for Services
Bergen Family Center
Accepts cash, credit/debit or personal c heck. They do
not accept health insurance.
Many programs are funded and free to the certain
clients.
They provide crisis services through the sliding scale
program (seen within 1-2 weeks). There are no oncall therapists or psychiatrists available.
School Clearances
Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare will do a onetime evaluation. This service is only available to
people who reside in that catchment area.
Vantage Health System and Care Plus do not provide
School Clearances. They do offer a psychiatric
evaluation and treatment.
This service is not provided at Bergen Family Center or
the Division of Family Guidance
West Bergen Mental Healthcare
When school personnel have assessed that a student is a danger to self
or others, but has no immediate plan or intent, school staff will, most
often, contact our Access Department to inform them of the need for
an emergency clearance. A Clinical Director or Supervisor will contact
the school personnel to determine if we are the appropriate level of
care. If so, we aim to see the student within 24 hours. If not
appropriate or unable to see student – we let the school staff know
immediately and advise them to call 262-help or have student
transported to ER.
If we can help, a licensed therapist or, if mandated, a psychiatrist will
perform a risk assessment to determine the level of danger to self or
others. If the mandate is for psychiatrist to perform the assessment,
we are limited in our ability to do so within 24 hours (psychiatrists
work part-time). If the clinician believes that hospitalization is not
necessary, they provide a letter regarding the present state of the
student – no future predictions