Austin Child Guidance Center works with a number of other agencies in the city to deliver mental health services to children offsite. A current list of community collaborations are described below.
Charter School Collaborative
In 2015, ACGC forged new partnerships with four charter schools serving low-income children and families in northeast and southeast Austin (KIPP, Austin Achieve, IDEA, and Montessori for All)
Community Partners for Children (CPC)
Community Partners for Children (CPC) is a collaboration that provides intensive case management to children and families who have multiple needs that cannot be met by one agency. This collaboration (formed from a merger of three previous entities – Community Resource Coordination,
TRIAD, and the Eligibility Referral Team of the Children’s Partnership) serves any Travis County child/teenager whose problems are too extensive for one agency alone. ACGC staff provides consultation and outpatient mental health services, psychological and psychiatric evaluations. CPC holds their twice a month meetings at the Center.
Children's Victim Recovery Project
It is a program that helps children and families recover from the psychological effects of crime, violence, and abuse. Any child or adolescent who was a victim or witness to crime or violence is eligible for treatment services at no cost. Funding is provided by grants from the Office of Texas Attorney General and the Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Division (for Spanish-speaking victims of crime).
Kids in the Middle Project
It offers mental health services and support to children and families involved in high conflict divorce, family violence, or custody issues. Funding is provided by grants from the Travis County Domestic Relations Office and the Travis County Counseling and Education Services Department.
Infant and Early Childhood (IEC)
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Project is a collaborative project working to positively impact the mental health of our youngest children in local child development centers. ACGC Staff and graduate interns from The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work provide mental health assessment, consultation, and intervention services to caregivers, children, and parents at the centers. In addition, childcare staff and parents receive training and consultations on how to identify and help children with mental health concerns.
Middle School Matter
Middle School Matters is a collaborative project funded by United Way for Greater Austin. Through this initiative Austin Child Guidance Center delivers on-site mental health supports and counseling services at three at-risk middle schools: Mendez Middle School, Decker Middle School and Webb Middle School
TANDEM
The TANDEM is a Teen Prenatal/Parenting Program that promotes optimal levels of health, educational and vocational achievement and social and family functioning and to reduce the risk of subsequent pregnancies among participating teenagers. The lead agency is Peoples Community Clinic. This project serves pregnant teenagers who enter prenatal care at People’s Community Clinic and teen fathers. ACGC staff provides mental health services including group therapy, individual/family therapy, psychological/psychiatric evaluations, as well as consultation to the project. Any Baby Can and Lifeworks also participate in this project.
TICC was established in 2013 through the generous support of St. David’s Foundation. TICC, led by Austin Child Guidance Center, brings together professional organizations throughout Central Texas to address the trauma needs of children and families. TICC is made up of over 60 community partners from a variety of professions: mental health clinicians, school personnel, medical/nursing professionals, occupational/physical therapists, law enforcement, and juvenile justice professionals. The consortium meets quarterly to network, share information, coordinate trainings, as well as to create a trauma-informed newsletter and maintain the www.traumatexas.com website. In addition, ACGC provides trainings to organizations and groups on trauma and trauma-informed care.
