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COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS

ABOUT US

The Council of the Southern Mountains is a community action agency established in 1964 to help low-income individuals and families achieve economic, social, and psychological self-sufficiency in southern West Virginia, especially McDowell County. 

501(c)3 Nonprofit Corporation

The Council is a 501 c (3) nonprofit corporation governed by a volunteer tripartite Board of Directors and is composed of individuals from three areas: 

  1. Low-income and minority,

  2. Elected officials and

  3. Community representatives. 

The agency serves people in the southern part of West Virginia with emphasis on McDowell County, an economically distressed area experiencing high unemployment and social disparities.

Services to Achieve Self-Sufficiency

The Council of the Southern Mountains presently provides services for individuals and families to help them achieve self-sufficiency through programs for unemployed and underemployed individuals, high school drop-outs, unwed parents, parolees, and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) recipients. 

CSM provides job training and other services for these individuals and strives to keep the agency functioning at a level that will provide meaningful interventions for high-need individuals gaining meaningful community services that provide all measures of citizenship and dignity.

Services

SERVICES OVERVIEW 

The agency specifically served 3,000 families in the Community Services Block Grant program this past year which provides food pantries, transportation, seasonal food allocations, clothing, infant formula for eligible families, assistance to the elderly, energy assistance, and housing referrals.

  • The Care Coordinator will help to coordinate the health, education, and nutritional care for the RFTS eligible pregnant mother and her infant."
    The RFTS Regional Care Coordinator provides follow-up and coordination on all newborn Hearing Screening referrals, offers RFTS care cooordination to all eligible infants. They will also: Complete assessment and PRSI/Alternate Entry, if necessary, to identify barriers to a healthy care outcome. Develop service care plan with client using the RFTS Service Care Plan. Arrange intervention, meeting identified needs. Make home visits and client contact according to policy. Follow a standardized recording system for documenting client care. Reassess and revise service care plan as needed. Update medical provider of mother's progress/change in service care plan as needed. Send required information to Regional Care Coordinator serving the client. Arrange for/participates in interdisciplinary/interagency problem/service care plan meeting for problem clients to determine the appropriate agency to serve as primary case manager and to assign service care plan responsibilities. Coordinates/ Monitors with other program providing care management to infants such as Birth to Three Projects, and or child with Special Health Needs. Referral of client into appropriate case management system at time of closure/ or at risk are determined. At or near care closure, complete Outcome Measures form and forward to RCC.
  • The Care Coodinator will help to increase the pregant woman, her infant, and the family's knowledge regarding the importance of quality self and health care"
    The RFTS Coordinator will also: Plan with the client for perinatal care/pediatric care. Plan with the client for participation in WIC for nutritional needs, counseling and food supplements. Model and teach problem solving skills. Plan with the mother for receiving a postpardum exam and family planning services. Plan with the client for support system. Plan with the child for receiving well child visits and immunization services.
  • The Care Coordinator will advocate for primary needs of the family.
    Primary needs include, but are not limited to, food, shelter, safety, crisis intervention, transportation assistance, and child care. They will also: Advocate for the child in the community. Intervene immediately when mother or child is in unsafe environment. Intervene in times of crisis. (Exception: for incidents of child abuse/neglect. These must be reported by telephone to Child Protective Services, the Child Abuse Hotline, or local DHHR office.
  • The Care Coordinator will use appropriate referral and follow-up procedures to acquire necessary resources for the mother and her infant.
    The RFTS Coordinator will also: Establish cooperative agreements and contracts for referral on the local level. Coordinate services for all disciplines. Communicate with medical care providers.Refer very low birth weight, preterm infants' parent to SSI. (if not referred by hospital at birth.) Monitor receipt of services.
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