The Starting Place offers an array of comprehensive services to enable children, teens and young adults and their families access the help they need when they need it and be the catalyst for change in the youth and the family.

Assessment and Referral

The Starting Place’s caring professionals provide an initial screening, assessment and referral process to establish whether treatment is appropriate, determine the appropriate action, and place and refer the individual based on his or her needs.

Outpatient

Serving adolescents and adults and their families, The Starting Place’s outpatient services offer help to those experiencing issues with substance abuse, mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders who are willing to participate in the therapeutic process.

Community-based Intervention

This program targets students at-risk for future delinquent involvement, substance abuse, academic failure and/or behavioral problems and mental health issues by intervening with counseling and providing a single point of contact for all health and social service needs. 

Community-based Outpatient Program

Collaborating with law enforcement and other agency partners, the Community-Based Outpatient Program provides intervention and counseling designed to provide a continuum of services for adolescents and their families.

Comprehensive Community Service Team Program (CCST) Alternatives

This program serves adolescents ages 11 to 17 who are having significant problems with substance use/dependence, mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders and their families.  The program serves as an alternative to residential treatment with the goal of enabling the youth to function and participate in the community.

Mental Health Services

Due to funding from Broward County, Community Partnerships Division, the Starting Place will have a greater capacity to serve youth ages 7 through 17 that have mental health and behavioral issues. The Children and Youth Mental Health Program provides services for youth with mental health issues which result in functional impairment which substantially impairs the youth’s role or functioning in family, school or community activities.

Strong Families

The Starting Place has begun Strong Families, a program to provide prevention/intervention services, case management and parent education to families at risk of abuse and neglect and/or where maltreatment has already occurred. Starting Place will serve families with children and adolescents, primarily between the ages of 11 to 18 that are at risk of child maltreatment due to multiple factors, particularly those with a family history of substance abuse. This program is provided due to funding from the Children’s Services Council.

Youth Opportunities

This diversion program is designed for youth ages 10 to 17 referred by the State Attorney’s Office for in-home family counseling and addresses substance abuse, academics, family issues, community service and restitution.  

Judicial Programs

The agency works closely with the various court systems in Broward County.

Misdemeanor Drug Court — all participants are provided with comprehensive substance abuse evaluations and treatment for
those identified in need of services.

Juvenile Drug Court — the agency accepts referrals from case managers for assessment and treatment for those in need of
substance abuse services. Staff provides the court with monthly updates of participants’ progress and status.

Juvenile Outreach — the agency provides an array of services that includes screening, intake and assessment, drug education,
individual and group counseling, and case management.

Marchman Act Court — the agency provides a liaison to this court to assist clients of all ages with assessments, various
appointments and following up with treatment petitions as needed. In addition, the agency provides training to the
community pertaining to the Marchman Act Court program.

Juvenile Delinquency Court and Department of Juvenile Justice — the agency works closely with DJJ by accepting referrals
for clients in needs of substance abuse assessments and treatment. Staff provides the courts and JPOs with monthly status
and progress reports.

Redirections: In collaboration with the Department of Juvenile Justice, this program is an “alternative to commitment”, targets
youth who have violated probation with a technical offense and are facing commitment. Functional Family Therapy is utilized to
improve family functioning and reduce juvenile delinquency.

Other Services

Psychiatric Services and medication management services are available to all clients under the age of 18 enrolled in any Starting Place program. Urinalysis drug screening testing is available to all clients and non-clients seeking testing.