Behavioral Health Services

Behavioral Health Services at Pinebrook are offered to children ages three to eighteen, young adults up to 27 years of age, and their families. We help them to maximize their potential for growth and character development by focusing on their strengths to resolve the specific problems that necessitated treatment. Treatment approaches include outpatient services, family-based services, and Functional Family Therapy (FFT).

Programs:

• Assessment
  
  * Individual
  * Sibling
  * Family
  * Collateral Family
  * Group
  * Play therapy
  * Art therapy
• Psychiatric Services
  
  * Psychiatric evaluation
  * Consultation
  * Medication evaluation and review
  * Treatment planning and review
• Psychological Services
  
  * Psychological evaluation
  * Consultation
  * Diagnostic Evaluation
  
  Services are provided at either Pinebrook's Allentown or Easton clinics. Our outpatient programs are:
  
  • Licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, Office of Mental Health
    
  • Committed to providing a continuum of high-quality psychiatric, psychological and treatment services
    
  • Open weekdays, evenings and Saturdays to accommodate most families’ schedules
    
  • Committed to beginning discharge planning as soon as appropriately warranted
  
  To expedite the referral and treatment process, it is important that all client referrals include:
  
  • A copy of all previous treatment records, including psychiatric and/or psychological evaluations
    
  • Pertinent background information on client and family members
    
  • A copy of insurance card(s)
  
  To make an appointment for outpatient services, simply call us at 610-432-3919 (Allentown main ofice) or 610-559-8151 (Easton and Bangor offices), or send an email to . Intake and an evaluation can usually occur within 24 to 48 hours. Therapists are available six days a week with both day and evening hours. Appointments are available in our main Allentown office, our Easton office or our Bangor satellite office. All client information is kept in strict confidence.
  
  Types of problems and issues treated include:
  Aggression and fighting
  Attention Deficit and Developmental Disorders
  Behavior disorders
  Child custody problems
  Depression
  Emotional disorders
  Life and school adjustment difficulties
  Parent/child conflict
  Sexual and/or physical abuse
  Community-based Programs:
  
  
  1. Family-Based Mental Health Services
     Family-Based Mental Health Services (FBMHS) are short-term therapeutic and case management services designed to provide assistance to families in their own homes. By providing services in this manner, they are more accessible and effective and ultimately more likely to prevent the need for out-of-home placement of children in the family. The services can also be implemented for children and adolescents who are returning to their families from an out-of-home placement to assist their transition back to the community.
     
     Services can begin within 24 hours of acceptance. Referrals can be accepted from families, managed care organizations, psychiatrists or psychologists, county children and youth caseworkers or probation officers, or community agencies. Therapeutic services include but are not limited to individual and family therapy, parenting skills training, assertiveness training and behavior management techniques. Staff are available 24 hours a day to assist with crisis situations.
     
     For more information, please contact Angela Marchetto, MS, Supervisor of Family-Based Mental Health at 610-432-3919 or email .
     
  2. Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
     Functional Family Therapy (FFT), a Blueprints for Violence Prevention Model Program, is an intensive, short-term (three-month average), evidence-based treatment designed to provide assistance to at-risk youth, ages 11 to 18, and their families in their own homes. FFT is made possible in partnership with the County of Lehigh and a grant (Subgrant #19080) from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). Addressing multiple and complex problems, FFT provides ongoing, in-depth assessment of the needs of the family and targets goals for behavior change. In-home services provided in this manner are more likely to prevent the need for youths’ out-of-home placement and/or accelerate reunification of the family following placement. Referrals can be accepted from families, school personnel, managed care organizations, psychiatrists or psychologists, county children and youth or mental health workers, probation officers, community agencies, psychiatric hospitals, etc. For service acceptance, the identified client must be between 11 and 18 years of age. At least one adult in the household must agree to the services and participate in the sessions. For more information, please contact David Hoke, Director of Behavioral Health Services at 610-432-3919 or by email at .
     
  3. High Fidelity Wraparound Initiative (HFW)
     What is High Fidelity Wraparound?
     
     • An evidence-based initiative utilized internationally and widely throughout the U.S.
       
     • Team-based, collaborative process for helping children and youth with special mental health needs and their families identify and use their strengths and community resources
       
     • Develop and implement individualized plans to reduce the use of other restrictive mental health services
     
     Eligibility Criteria for Referred Youth
     
     • Must be a resident of Lehigh County
       
     • Must be between ages of 14 & 21 years
       
     • Must have mental health diagnosis of serious emotional disturbance
       
     • Must have experienced imminent, current, or previous placement(s) in a restrictive, intensive or intrusive level of mental health care
     
     Referrals can be accepted from:
     
     • Parents
       
     • Young Adults (18-21)
       
     • Lehigh County Department of Human Services
       
     • Lehigh County Office of Juvenile Probation Department
       
     • Magellan Behavioral Health Services
       
     • School Personnel
       
     • Other Human Service Organizations
     
     To make a referral or to learn more contact Sharon Arangio, Supervisor, at 610-432-3919 or by email at .
  
  Pinebrook’s Behavioral Health Services staff include:
  3 Child Psychiatrists
  1 licensed Psychologist
  25+ Master’s level Psychotherapists
  
  Insurance
  Pinebrook accepts Medical Assistance to cover all or a portion of the costs. Pinebrook also participates in the Magellan, CBHNP and CCBH networks. Please check with us as this can change.
  
  Eligibility
  Pinebrook's services are available to any parent having difficulty with his or her child. Children under age 14 are usually seen only if at least one parent (or adult entrusted with the full-time care and supervision of the child) is willing and able to participate. Parental consent is required for treatment on all children under the age of 14. Parental consent is strongly recommended for minors between the ages of 14 and 17 inclusive, although client admission in this age range is not dependent upon family participation.