Buncombe County

Child & Family Services

School-Based Services

Our clinicians are available at Woodfin Elementary School to provide individual, group, and family therapy.

​Day Treatment Services

Day Treatment is an intensive behavioral health service that allows children and adolescents to access clinical treatment while enrolled in the local county school system. Day Treatment services focus on helping the child or adolescent meet goals and return to a traditional academic setting. A Caring Alternative works with the school system to optimize academic performance and meet the behavioral health needs of each student referred to the program. Children and adolescents in the program receive treatment to increase emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, and resilience so that they can successfully access academics in a mainstream school setting. Our Day Treatment Services partners with Buncombe, Mitchell, and Yancey County School Systems. Our licensed treatment offices are available within those school systems.

Intensive In-Home Services

Intensive In-Home (IIH) teams are available to serve children and adolescents at risk of out-of-home placement and/or need to be stabilized within the home.

Care Haven is a 5-bed, non-leveled community respite facility located in Marion, serving children and adolescents ages 6-17 who are diagnosed with either a mental health issue or dual diagnosed (MH/DD). Community respite provides periodic relief for primary caregivers. Care Haven also offers services to children awaiting permanent placement in either foster care or a higher level of care. Care Haven is currently available to Vaya consumers and through DSS contracts. Clients can stay for 24 calendar days without prior authorization. Supervision is provided around the clock by trained paraprofessionals. Care Haven is not a crisis facility and does not provide crisis intervention services. If a child cannot maintain safety, Care Haven reserves the right to contact guardians and give a 24-hour notification of discharge.

Care Haven Referral Form

Each referral will be reviewed to determine whether Care Haven is an appropriate fit.

Adult Services

Community Support Team

The Community Support Team (CST) provides a comprehensive, personalized treatment program for individuals with moderate behavioral health issues utilizing a team approach. The CST Team offers assistance in accessing resources, reducing psychiatric & addiction symptoms, and developing community living skills.

Individual Support Services

Personal Care is a "hands-on" individualized assistance with everyday activities required by an individual with severe and persistent mental illness to live independently in the community. The service is to teach and assist individuals in carrying out daily living skills. The goal is for this support to fade over time as the individual performs some of these activities more independently.