Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS)

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What is TBS?
TBS is an intensive, individualized, outpatient, one-to-one behavioral mental health service. The service is available for families/caregivers of children/adolescents that experience serious emotional challenges. Those eligible for TBS services are generally experiencing a stressful transition or life crisis and need additional specific short-term supportive therapeutic services. The primary goals are to assist the individual and the family to accomplish outcomes specified in their written treatment plan and to prevent the need for placement at more restrictive levels of care. TBS is never the primary therapeutic intervention as it is always used in conjunction with a primary specialty mental health service such as individual or family therapy. TBS is designed to help children/youth and their parents/caregivers manage the maladaptive behaviors utilizing short-term, measurable goals based on the child’s and family’s needs.  A referral to TBS is not appropriate when the primary goal is to provide observation or supervision. TBS is an active goal directed service that focuses on learning techniques for specific behavior change.

What are the eligibility criteria for TBS class members?
TBS eligibility requires consumers to be Full-Scope Medi-Cal beneficiaries under the age of 21 who meet medical necessity criteria of the Mental Health Plan (MHP).  Additionally, the consumer must meet ONE of the following criteria:
•    Currently placed at or is being considered for out of home placement at a group
      home rated at RCL 12 or higher.
•    The consumer has received psychiatric hospitalization in the past 24 months.
•    The consumer is at risk of psychiatric hospitalization.
•    The consumer has previously received TBS while a member of the certified class.
AND meets ONE of the following criteria:
•    Child/youth may need an out-of-home placement, a higher level of residential care, or acute care, and/or
•    Child/youth is transitioning to a lower level of care and eneds TBS to support the transition.
 
What behaviors can be addressed? 
TBS can intervene to address any behavior that will cause significant impairment in an important area of life functioning, has a reasonable probability that it will cause significant impairment in an important area of life functioning, or has a reasonable probability that the child/youth would not progress developmentally as individually appropriate without TBS services.
 
Where can TBS be provided? 
TBS can be provided in family homes, foster homes, group homes, schools, after-school programs, recreation programs, day treatment programs, and many other places. TBS cannot be provided while the child/youth is in an Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital, Institute of Mental Disease (IMD), Juvenile Hall, Jail, or other similar setting.
 
How do I make a referral for TBS?
Complete the TBS Referral form and two Release of Information forms as identified below (three forms total).


          TBS Referral form 

  • Authorization for the Release of Protected Health Information – To Mental Health

          English       Spanish

  • Authorization for the Release of Protected Health Information – From Mental Health

          English       Spanish

 
 
Completed TBS Referral forms and Release of Information forms can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to the Tulare County Mental Health TBS Coordinator, Maria Montaño, LCSW.

 

 
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Please contact the TBS Coordinator, Maria Montaño, LCSW, at (559) 624-7462.
 
For further information, please go to the California Department of Mental Health (CDMH) TBS Website:
http://www.dmh.ca.gov/Services_and_Programs/Children_and_Youth/EPSDT.asp
On the CDMH website, You will be able to access the following TBS documents: