Child & Adolescent Behavioral Services (CABS)

What is CABS?

CABS provides outpatient mental health services to youth and their families residing in Lake County. Counseling services are provided in our offices and in the community, including in schools. Treatment services include: 

  • Trauma-informed therapy for individuals, families, and groups
  • Crisis intervention
  • Substance abuse counseling
  • Case management
  • Psychiatric/medication services
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Our Services

Screening Assessment and Support Services (SASS)

SASS is a 90-day crisis intervention program. Clients are referred through the state CARES (Crisis and Referral Entry Service) hotline. After an assessment, a SASS worker will arrange psychiatric hospitalization and/or any follow-up outpatient treatment needs. 

SASS serves Lake County youth who are: 

  • Ages 20 years and under with Medicaid
  • Ages 20 years and under participating in DCFS Youth in Care
  • Ages 17 years and under with no insurance

Outpatient Therapy

Services include individual, family, and group therapy and case management. Treatment lasts about 3 to 6 months. 

Services include psychiatric evaluations and ongoing medication management. 

Youth Services Substance Abuse Program

Outpatient substance abuse counseling is available to youth ages 12 to and 20 years old. Clients must have a substance use disorder diagnosis or are currently experimenting with substances. The substance abuse clinicians provide individual, family, and group counseling and case management. 

Mental Health Juvenile Justice Program (MHJJ)

MHJJ serves Lake County youth who:

  • are ages 8 to 18 years old; AND
  • have had contact with the juvenile justice system within the last 90 days; OR
  • are at risk of juvenile justice involvement.

The MHJJ liaison works with children and their families for six months and connects them to treatment resources.

Intensive Placement Stabilization (IPS)

IPS serves Lake County youth who:

  • are in DCFS Youth in Care; AND
  • are at risk of losing their current foster home placements; OR
  • have just transitioned between placements.

Clinicians work with the systems involved for six months to stabilize the child in the least restrictive setting and to prevent multiple moves. 

Family Support Program (FSP)

Serves children under 18 who need more intensive community-based therapeutic services or residential treatment services. State FSP funds help cover the costs of the residential treatment or intensive community treatment services. For more information, visit the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (IHFS) website.

What is the Cost?

Fees for CABS services are based on level of income and number of dependents. A sliding fee schedule based on national poverty levels is available for Lake County residents. The program accepts Medicaid and Medicaid MCO insurance.

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