TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Unison is rolling out a new program for kids with serious emotional and mental health challenges and they don’t even have to leave their home.

The program aims to bridge the gap between in-office therapy and in-patient treatment.

“This is a way to keep families together and keep youth in the home,” said Megan Rinehart, director of child and family programming at Unison.

The new program is for youth in risk of out-of-home placement.

“That could be a residential treatment facility or a group home,” said Rinehart.

A specialized team made up of a licensed therapist and case worker will utilize individual and and family therapy, safety plans and other tools to improve family dynamics.

The goal with this new in-home therapy is to provide a more intense level of care than office-based therapy with hope of avoiding in-patient treatment.

“It is an intensive program so we’re going to be in the home multiple times a week,” said Rinehart. “It’s time limited so it’s like six months, so get in, hopefully do a lot of good work and hopefully transition them to a lower level of care.”

Families interested in this treatment should enroll in the OhioRISE program.

“We would do an assessment, ensure there is a qualifying mental health diagnosis and then talk with the family because it is an intensive program,” said Rinehart.

The program will be available July 1 for families in Lucas, Defiance, Williams, Henry and Fulton counties.

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