By: Sami Head (she/hers) – CCS Program Manager
Comprehensive Community Services, Briarpatch’s newest program will soon offer wraparound services to young people in our community who have mental health and substance use disorder diagnoses.
Comprehensive Community Services, commonly referred to as CCS, is a statewide program that individual counties opt into providing residents. This unique program allows agencies across the state to provide wraparound support to individuals who are looking for support in managing their mental health and substance use disorders. It is a voluntary and client-directed program, which means that participants are actively driving their own services and getting the help they actually need. In Dane County, there are 100+ agencies that provide a variety of services for people ages 0-99. At Briarpatch, we will serve young people between the ages of 12-24 who are interested in working towards recovery as they define it.
For over 50 years, Briarpatch has been a hub for young people and families experiencing hardships in Dane County. By building a comprehensive program for youth, we will be able to serve a larger population and continue to improve outcomes for our community’s most vulnerable people. Additionally, since CCS is funded by Medicaid through a bill-for-service model, our goal is to ensure our program can sustain itself financially, which will allow us to provide services for years to come.
As a mental health professional that has worked with youth in Dane County for over 7 years, I have seen firsthand the positive impact that intensive and holistic approaches to recovery can have on long-term well-being and success. Many young people who are struggling need someone to stand alongside them while they work towards the future they have defined for themselves. It’s true that when they have someone in their corner, advocating for and with them, youth are more likely to find solutions and follow-through with steps to achieve their goals.
We are excited to officially launch our services in August 2025 and look forward to sharing our successes with our supporters!
