Scott County’s Coordinated Assessment Program (CAP) has announced significant success in its first year in connecting families to services that support the health, happiness and ongoing success of young people, according to a news release.

To date, CAP has served 339 Scott County youth, with 91% of families reporting satisfaction
with the services offered, and 68% of youth making progress by reporting improvements with
behavior. 92% reported no additional in or out of school suspensions, the release says.

CAP is supported by the City of Davenport, the City of Bettendorf, Scott County, John Deere
Foundation and United Way of the Quad Cities. It is operated by Family Resources. CAP started as a way to offer Scott County families a single point of access to early, preventive therapy and mental health services that are inclusive, diverse and sensitive to their cultural needs. CAP also assists youth and their families in connecting to services that assist with basic needs.

“Families know what is best for them, and we want to find ways to help them recognize and build on their strengths,” said Nicole Cisne Durbin, Family Resources president/CEO. “CAP
empowers families to use the connection to new resources as the basis for mobilizing change.
It’s one call, and within an hour an assessor is in touch – guiding and helping the youth and their
family create a pathway to success.”

CAP accepts referrals from all community organizations as well as self-referrals. Most referrals have come from the local school districts (69%) and self-referrals from family members
themselves (24%). Community partners such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Vera French Community Mental Health Center and YMCA may also make referrals.

When a family connects with CAP, a care coordinator reaches out to meet for an initial conversation and assessment. That guides the creation of a care plan that connects families to
a wide array of services within our community, which can range from therapy and medication
management to behavioral health interventions. Families work exclusively with one coordinator
to build a relationship that simplifies the process and stays with the family for as long as it takes.

One Scott County mother learned about CAP through a referral from Vera French Community
Mental Health Center. Her son was struggling with anger and strong emotions after the sudden
death of a male role model.

“My son has come a significant way already by utilizing coping skills, regulating emotions and
processing more through therapy,” she said. “This program is essential for our area and for kids
like my son. I’m so incredibly thankful for everyone who continues to help us.”

Early intervention is the top priority for CAP in the year ahead, the release says. While CAP resources will remain available to all ages, care coordinators ask community outreach partners for a greater focus on referrals for kids under the age of 11.

“As soon as a child is connected to a CAP care coordinator, they realize how many people are
in their corner,” said Frank Klipsch, YMCA outreach director. “When you look them in the eye
and show love, all human beings respond to that. What’s important to know is this: the earlier
the intervention, the better we are at making sure that a young life is made better.”