Children’s Mental Health – Independent Management Services

Children's Mental Health

Independent Management Services offers a comprehensive children's program designed to support emotional and behavioral health in a variety of ways. We provide Children's Therapeutic Support Services (CTSS) to help youth and their families build essential coping and life skills in home, school, and community settings. Our Certified Family Peer Specialists (CFPS) bring lived experience to guide and empower caregivers through the mental health journey. Soon, we will also be offering Children's Day Treatment—a structured, therapeutic group program for children needing more intensive support.

Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS)

Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) are a set of mental health services developed to provide restorative rehabilitative interventions covered by Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) to children and their families. CTSS establishes policies and practices for certification and coverage of mental health services for children who require varying therapeutic and rehabilitative levels of intervention in their homes or elsewhere in the community.

Goals of CTSS are to:

Restore a child, adolescent, or young adult to an age and developmentally appropriate level of functioning.
Teach and practice skills which help the child, adolescent, or young adult to cope with mental health symptoms. CTSS is a rehabilitative service which can be used to deliver: psychotherapy or skills training. Psychotherapy treats the underlying mental illness and skills training facilitates psychosocial skill development.

Certified Family Peer Specialist (CFPS)

Certified family peer specialists (CFPS) work with the family of a child or youth who has an emotional disturbance or a severe emotional disturbance and is receiving mental health treatment to promote the resiliency and recovery of the child or youth. They provide nonclinical family peer support building on the strengths of the family and help them to achieve desired outcomes.

Day Treatment

Stay tuned for exciting updates.

FAQ

Who is eligible to receive CTSS?

MHCP members must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for CTSS:

Be under 21 years old
Have a diagnostic assessment, performed by a mental health professional or clinical trainee, that is performed within one year before the initial start of services, that documents:
- A diagnosis of an emotional disturbance for children under 18 years old or mental illness for young adults 18 through 21 years old
- Documents CTSS as medically necessary rehabilitation to address an identified disability or functional impairment, and the member’s needs and goals.
Have a completed and signed individual treatment plan (ITP) that is child-centered, family-driven, and culturally appropriate and:
- Documents specific goals and objectives for CTSS services
- Is approved by the supervising mental health professional and the parent or guardian before service delivery

Is Medicaid (Medical Assistance) required?

Medical Assistance (Medicaid) or MinnesotaCare coverage is required to access our children’s services, including CTSS and CFPS. If you’re unsure whether you qualify, please contact our intake coordinator at 507-437-6389 for assistance.

How do I know if my child needs support?

If your child is struggling with emotions or behaviors that affect daily life—like frequent outbursts, anxiety, depression, trouble following directions, difficulty getting along with others, or ongoing family conflict—they may benefit from additional support. It’s not always easy to know when to seek help, but if these challenges are interfering with home, school, or social life, it’s a good idea to reach out. Our team can help assess your child’s needs and guide you through the next steps. You’re not alone—support is available

How do I get started?

To enroll in one of our children’s programs please complete the referral forms at the bottom of this page or reach out to our intake coordinator at info@imsofmn.com or 507-437-6389.

Meet The Team

Meet the team

Referrals

If you’d like to refer yourself or another indvidual to one of our children’s programs please complete the forms below. Completed forms can be emailed to our intake coordinator at info@imsofmn.com or faxed to 507-437-0977

IMS ROI

Intake Packet