Yale Behavioral Health

Behavioral Health Services at Hamden (BHSH) is a licensed mental health and substance abuse treatment facility managed through the Yale University Department of Psychiatry. It offers a comprehensive range of services to individuals over the age of 18 with specialization in severe behavioral health disorders. Its general services include: intake and evaluation, crisis intervention, individual and group treatment, family counseling and medication evaluation and management. BHSH provides specialty programs in psychosocial rehabilitation and co-occurring disorders within a cognitive-behavioral framework. This fellowship begins on July 1st and runs through June 30th.

Primary objectives for the Fellowship include the following:

• Learn to conduct psychosocial evaluations/assessments of clients presenting with behavioral health needs, with a focus on those challenged by moderate to severe psychiatric and substance use disorders.
• Learn to manage a diverse caseload.
• Learn to conduct crisis evaluations and develop appropriate risk management plans.
• Learn to identify treatment needs for clients within a recovery-based, medically necessary framework.
• Learn to complete documentation consistent with third party payer requirements.
• Learn to conduct individual and group psychotherapy within a cognitive-behavioral framework.

BHSH is located at 95 Circular Avenue, Hamden, CT 06514

This Yale-operated outpatient behavioral health clinic provides comprehensive psychiatric and clinical services to residents of the Town of Hamden who have serious mental health and substance use conditions. Services are provided to adults by board certified psychiatrists, advanced practice nurses, and licensed clinical social workers, using person-centered, evidence-based practices to help individuals become more functional and satisfied in their daily lives. Through a full array of clinical services, including psychiatric evaluations, medication management, individual, group and family psychotherapy and peer support, care is individualized to assist clients in finding their own pathway to recovery. Grants from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Town of Hamden make it possible for the agency to serve uninsured individuals who are residents of Hamden.

Scott Migdole, LCSW
Executive Director, Behavioral Health Services at Hamden
95 Circular Avenue
Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: 203-288-6253
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu

Cedarhurst School is a private therapeutic school operated by Yale University. Serving as a junior and senior high school for grades 7-12, it offers a structured supportive learning environment for students who have difficulty functioning in the mainstream setting.

The population served includes students with psychiatric illness or learning disorders, behavioral difficulties and school avoidance issues. Group therapy, crisis intervention and individual counseling provide a sound interface between the educational and clinical needs of the students. Treatment planning is focused on concrete, behaviorally based goals. The training experience at Cedarhurst is focused on developing a more clinically sophisticated knowledge of adolescents and their treatment needs within an educational setting. This is a 12-month fellowship beginning July 1st and ending June 30th. Primary objectives for the Fellowship include the following:

• Learn the fundamentals of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how to operationalize it within a special education setting.
• Learn how to write goal focused, quantifiable Individual Educational Plans (IEP) in the context of collaboration with educational staff and parents.
• Learn how to provide crisis intervention in a special education setting, including accurate mental status examination, utilization of de-escalation techniques and triaging to local emergency room departments.
• Learn and apply group therapy curricula to a special education setting. Examples include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
• Learn the fundamentals of how to complete a biopsychosocial assessment in a special education setting. This will include disposition and treatment planning.
• Learn how to effectively collaborate with school districts, outside treaters, family members, social service agencies and collateral contacts

Kitty Clemens, LCSW
Director, Cedarhurst School
871 Prospect St.
Hamden, CT 06517
Phone: 203-764-9335
Email: kitty.clemens@yale.edu

While only 18-20% of adolescents in the United States suffer from a mental health disorder, approximately 70% of adolescents in juvenile detention facilities suffer from one or more mental health conditions. Research demonstrates that many adolescents who evidence severe behavioral issues and enter the juvenile justice system have never received a comprehensive assessment and are struggling with undiagnosed, untreated mental health concerns. As there are approximately 70,000 adolescents across the country in residential detention facilities each year, the evaluation and treatment of individuals involved in the juvenile justice system is of critical importance.

Since 1996, Yale has provided behavioral health services to pre-adjudicated youth ages 11-18 under contract to the State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division. These services include on-site psychiatric and psychosocial evaluations, medication management, clinical interventions, crisis intervention, and the implementation of evidence-based practices to address mental health and substance use conditions. The program is staffed by a team of Yale social workers and Yale-affiliated psychiatrists. The overarching objective of the team is to stabilize youth in crisis, provide support, and teach skills that will help each adolescent cope and thrive as they return to the community. Yale's commitment to clinical excellence has been key in helping the state’s juvenile residential facilities achieve accreditation through both the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare and the American Correctional Association.

Scott Migdole, MSW, LCSW
Chief Operating Officer, Yale Behavioral Health
Assistant Clinical Professor
Yale Department of Psychiatry
55 Church Street, Suite 403
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-927-4767
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu

YBH provides on-site psychiatric and psychosocial evaluations, and ongoing clinical supports, for youth in pre-adjudicated juvenile detention centers and other juvenile residential settings through a contract with the State of Connecticut's Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division.

Clinical interventions and consultation are also provided focused on increasing youth's motivation to change, improving social problem solving abilities, reducing maladaptive coping skills, and effectively resolving conflicts without violence. Specialized programming is provided for youth with co-occurring disorders.

Judith Robbins, LCSW, JD, CCHP-A, Program Director
203-764-7219
55 Church Street, Suite 404
New Haven, CT
06510

In collaboration with CommuniCare, Yale Behavioral Health provides telephonic and mobile crisis services to programs funded by DMHAS (Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services) in the South Central region of Connecticut. The goals are to provide support and safety for individuals in crisis; assist these individuals to remain in the community; and decrease the number of individuals seeking services in the local Emergency Department. Staff members are skilled in brief evaluation, crisis intervention and in determining the appropriate level of care for individuals in crisis. The program receives referrals from mental health agencies, families, police, landlords, neighbors and clients themselves.

Nicole Kikosicki, LCSW
Executive Director, Behavioral Health Services at Hamden
95 Circular Avenue
Hamden, CT 06514
Phone: 203-288-6253
Email: nicole.kikosicki@yale.edu

This EAP program is only for Hamden town employees.

Yale University EAP services.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential program for Employees of the Town of Hamden that is designed to support employees with personal, short-term problems that affect their work performance. Typical issues of focus in the EAP are marital discord, mild to moderate substance use, and the emotional stress associated with financial problems. More significant behavioral health concerns, such as moderate to severe depression and anxiety or chronic substance use, are referred to a behavioral health treatment provider. Yale designs each EAP to address the unique needs of the employer. The goals are to maintain a healthy workforce, increase employee retention, increase productivity and organizational performance, and decrease costs. YBH draws upon its extensive clinical, administrative and managed care experience in providing this service.

Scott Migdole, MSW, LCSW
Chief Operating Officer, Yale Behavioral Health
Assistant Clinical Professor
Yale Department of Psychiatry
55 Church Street, Suite 403
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-927-4767
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu

Based on the Supported Employment model, Workers Achieving Gainful Employment (WAGE) is a progressive vocational program that considers work as fundamental to personal recovery from mental illness. Affirming each person’s right to housing, social relationships and work, WAGE partners with program participants to promote self-sufficiency, dignity and respect through competitive employment.

Jennifer Keley, LCSW, Program Director
203-764-8440
55 Church Street, Suite 404
New Haven, CT
06510

YBH provides recovery-oriented peer support services to acute care settings. These services are intended to train and employ consumers of the mental health system to function as peer supports and assist other consumers in coping with the sometimes frightening and chaotic environments of urgent access centers and emergency rooms.

Scott Migdole, MSW, LCSW
Chief Operating Officer, Yale Behavioral Health
Assistant Clinical Professor
Yale Department of Psychiatry
55 Church Street, Suite 403
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-927-4767
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu

YBH provides licensed staff that are trained and skilled in the clinical and administrative management of mental health and substance abuse programming.

Scott Migdole, MSW, LCSW
Chief Operating Officer, Yale Behavioral Health
Assistant Clinical Professor
Yale Department of Psychiatry
55 Church Street, Suite 403
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-927-4767
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu

YBH provides qualified psychiatrists to other organizations to function as Medical Directors and psychiatric consultants. The services provided include diagnostic assessments, medication evaluations, risk management, and the full range of administrative tasks associated with being a physician in the public or private sector. Yale physicians are of the highest quality and are most current on evidence-based approaches to care.

Scott Migdole, MSW, LCSW
Chief Operating Officer, Yale Behavioral Health
Assistant Clinical Professor
Yale Department of Psychiatry
55 Church Street, Suite 403
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-927-4767
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu

YBH provides a full array of psychological and neuropsychological assessments.

Scott Migdole, MSW, LCSW
Chief Operating Officer, Yale Behavioral Health
Assistant Clinical Professor
Yale Department of Psychiatry
55 Church Street, Suite 403
New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: 203-927-4767
Email: scott.migdole@yale.edu