Finding the right CARE for a child.
Bexar CARES is designed to develop a coordinated system of care throughout the City of San Antonio in support of healthy behavioral and emotional development for children ages 3 to 8 including wraparound services for approximately 250 children.
Through the Bexar CARES system of care, children, youth and families struggling with behavioral, emotional and mental health challenges learn to function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life by building on meaningful partnerships with community-based services and support.
Wraparound services provide families with community-based support to help them manage their children’s emotional and behavioral issues while working with multiple agencies and making progress toward their goals.
Bexar CARES believes mental health care for children should be:
- Family oriented: the family should be actively involved in deciding the child’s treatment.
- Child-focused: mental health care providers should be focused on each individual child. Older children should participate in decisions about their care.
- Culturally and linguistically competent: any treatment should be mindful of a family’s culture and values. Although language is a part of cultural competence, the concept is about more than translations. Every family has its unique culture that must be considered in any treatment plan.
- Strengths-based: symptoms of mental health issues are behavioral, so it can be difficult for families to focus on their strengths. Providers should help them see where they are strong, and empower them to be active participants in the path their child takes.