Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services

Stanley Mrozowski, Ph.D., Director
P. O. Box 2675
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2675

Receptionist: 717-705-8289
Fax: 717-705-8268

The mission of the Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health Services is to promote the emotional wellbeing of children and ensure that children with emotional and behavioral challenges disorders live, learn, work and thrive in their communities. The bureau supports the objective of the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services that is specifically related to the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents: to transform the children’s behavioral health system to a system that is family driven and youth guided.

Supporting priorities:

• Establish child and family teams and implementation of high-fidelity wraparound through the work of the Youth and Family Training Institute
• Create home and community-based alternatives to residential treatment
• Partner with the Department of Education to support the development of effective school-based supports and interventions, including the Student Assistance Program and Positve Behavioral Interventions and Supports
• Develop a process for identifying and implementing evidence-based practices, promising practices and culturally relevant practices
• Develop strategies to address the needs of transition age youth
• Create behavioral health competency to honor the strengths and address the unique individualized needs of infants and toddlers as well as children and adolescents:
  • In the child welfare system
  • In, or at risk of entering, the juvenile justice system
  • In the drug and alcohol system
  • With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
  • Who are deaf or hard-of-hearing
  • With traumatic brain injury
  • With Autism Spectrum Disorder or other Pervasive Developmental Disorder
  • With physical disabilities
  • At risk for suicide

Brief Overview of the Children’s Bureau

The Children’s Bureau was re-established in 2003, following a reorganization of the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in 1997. The bureau was reinstated to provide the vision and leadership for bringing together state and local resources to support children with serious emotional and behavioral challenges and their families.

The need for specific focus on the needs of children with emotional problems is compelling. The National Institue of Health notes that "Mental health problems can disrupt daily life at home, at school or in the community. Without help, mental health problems can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug abuse, family discord, violence or even suicide. However, help is available."

The Children’s Bureau is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive plan for serving children and adolescents with behavioral health needs in the Commonwealth. Functions include program development, policy development, service monitoring, and working with the OMHSAS Children’s Advisory Committee, family and youth advocates, as well as state and local child serving systems.

Bureau Organization

• Division of Operations and Service Delivery: responsible for working with the OMHSAS Field Offices, County MH/MR Programs, Behavioral Health Managed Care Organizations and provider agencies in the development and management of children’s behavioral health services
• Division of Policy, Planning and Program Development: responsible for working with state agencies and family and youth advocacy organizations in the development of policy, integrated planning and review of service descriptions for new programs

Selected Publications and Resources

• Introduction to the Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP)
• CASSP Alert: A monthly administrative update that includes news about current policy and program development, new resources in children’s behavioral health and a calendar of upcoming conferences and trainings.
• PA CASSP Newsletter: A quarterly publication on topics in child and adolescent behavioral health. Each edition focuses on a different topic.
• Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Providers Handbook: An essential guide for service providers that outlines the necessary documentation for pre-authorization of Therapeutic Staff Support services. The handbook also includes a reference guide to assist providers in successfully completing claim forms.
• Guidelines for Best Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, by Gordon R. Hodas, M.D., child psychiatric consultant to the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. A collection of brief essays that address many of the clinical challenges that practitioners regularly face.
• Responding to Childhood Trauma: The Promise and Practice of Trauma Informed Care, by Gordon R. Hodas. M.D. Focuses on understanding the connection between presenting symptoms and the individual’s past trauma history.