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Pathways is designed to
foster
stronger collaboration between
schools and the human
service
delivery system to identify children
in need of services
sooner
and provide more
cost-effective interventions.
Pathways Online Resource Directory
Contact:
Deborah Jean Parsons
Program Director
Pathways
40 Pond Park Road
Hingham, MA 02043
Phone: 781-749-5386 x173
Fax: 781-740-4068
Deborah Jean Parsons, MA, has worked in the field of
children's mental health for over 25 years. Ms. Parsons
founded one of the first supported employment programs for
transitional age youth in 1988 at South Shore Mental Health
and then went on to run the wraparound program, Project
Connect at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children for 12 years.
Ms. Parsons is a doctoral candidate at the Heller School for
Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Ms.
Parsons has presented at over a dozen national conferences
and has earned numerous awards for her service. She is a
member of the Coastal Area Advisory Board for the Department
of Children and Families and Treasurer on the Board of
Directors for the Parent Professional Advocacy League.
Janet Furnari
Resource Coordinator
Phone: 781-749-5386 x174
Janet Furnari, BA, is a seasoned professional in the field
of children's mental health. Ms. Furnari worked for 10 years
as a Parent Partner with the wraparound program, Project
Connect, at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children. Ms. Furnari is an expert in negotiating
private and public human service systems on behalf of
families, including access to health insurance, social
services and community resources. She has presented across
the state on access to services and is a leading member of
the Parent Professional Advocacy League. Janet received her
Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts
Boston in Communications and Community Development, and
currently serves as Chair of the Family Council for the
Children's Mental Health Campaign of Massachusetts.
|
 Pathways
is an initiative of the state of Massachusetts to connect
public schools with human service systems and services in
order to promote the mental health of students. Pathways is
supported by a state contract with the Executive Office of
Health and Human Services and is governed by a
Regional
Advisory Board made up of all of the key stakeholders in
public child-serving agencies, private community providers
and public schools. Pathways works with the following ten
school districts: Braintree, Cohasset, Hingham, Hull,
Marshfield, Norwell, Quincy, Randolph, Scituate, and
Weymouth. Through interagency collaboration, state-of-the
art videoconferencing, simplified referral procedures and
comprehensive training for school personnel, Pathways seeks
to build the capacity of schools to promote the mental
health of all students and create an environment that is
more conducive to learning for all children.
Program Objectives
1. Early
identification of children in distress
2. Standardized process for entry into the human service
delivery system
3. Easier access to services from multiple agencies
4. Maximization of resources through interagency
coordination and flexible funding
Suggested Resources
Common Intake Form
Pathways has
established a standardized process for schools to access
mental health and community services for children. This
Regional Advisory Board developed and is currently
evaluating the use of a
Common Intake
Form and
Informed Consent. The purpose of these forms is to
provide a single intake process into the mental health and
community-based system that is clear, prompt and
straightforward.
The procedure for use of these forms is as follows:
1. School personnel, such as a counselor, nurse or
Principal, will identify children who need mental health and
community services outside of the school.
2. These school personnel will ask the child's
parent/guardian if they are interested in obtaining services
outside of the school, and would like some assistance with
this process.
3. These school personnel will give these forms to the
parent/guardian to complete, or will assist them in
completion of these forms, if necessary.
4. The Informed Consent must be signed by the
parent/guardian so that they are aware that we will be
tracking their request for and receipt of services.
5. These forms will then be mailed or faxed to SSEC as
indicated on the form.
Once received, the Resource Coordinator will contact the
family to begin the process of helping them make informed
decisions about services for their child. If you have any
questions about this process, please call the Program
Director or Resource Coordinator.
Forms
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