Services We Offer
Serving Delaware children and families since 1953.Click below to learn more about our services:
Mobile Response and Stabilization Services
Our skilled crisis intervention clinicians come to you—wherever you are, whenever you need support. Using evidence-informed risk assessments, they work with you to understand your challenges and strengths, help de-escalate difficult situations, ensure everyone’s safety, and create a clear plan for moving forward. Short-term counseling and support are provided to help stabilize the situation and connect you with ongoing resources.
Our statewide youth crisis response services are available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year for children and teens (ages 2-17) who:
- Are experiencing mental health symptoms
- May be seeking help for managing emotional and/or behavioral health problems
- May be at risk of harming themselves or others
- May have experienced recent trauma
About Our Crisis Program
Meet Our Crisis Team
Outpatient Counseling
Outpatient counseling—often called “talk therapy”—helps children, teens, and adults work through emotional, behavioral, and life challenges with the support of a trained counselor. Outpatient Services are offered in person and in some cases, via telehealth.
Our goal is to help young people heal, build coping skills, and develop healthy ways to manage challenges so they can thrive at home, in school, and in their communities.
Outpatient counseling can help individuals who are experiencing:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Family conflict and life changes
- Bullying and peer relationships
- School and behavioral challenges
- Life transitions
- Grief and loss
- Trauma and abuse
What to expect:
- Weekly therapy sessions with a trained clinician
- An individualized, collaboratively developed treatment plan
- Typical treatment lasting about six months, depending on needs and progress
- Support and guidance for parents, guardians, and caretakers
- Coordination with schools when helpful
Expert clinical care:
- Our skilled therapists specialize in various trauma-informed methods designed to reduce conflict and support individuals and families as they build a positive, healthy vision for their future
- Each therapist is part of a multidisciplinary team that collaborates on care
- Psychiatric services are available for children with more complex needs
- Our psychiatry staff can provide evaluations, medication management, and diagnostic support when appropriate
Telehealth services:
Delaware Guidance Services offers telehealth services to new and existing patients when clinically appropriate and when specific pre-approved criteria are met. Telehealth may be available from the comfort of your own home in certain circumstances.
Please Note: Telehealth services are not appropriate for everyone or for every behavioral health condition. Eligibility and appropriateness for telehealth are determined on a case-by-case basis. Please discuss the benefits, limitations, and appropriateness of telehealth with your therapist to determine the most effective treatment option for you.
Ready to take the next step?
Complete and send us your referral form today.
Download our fillable PDF and email to intake@delawareguidance.org
Call one of our locations today!
New Castle County
1200 N. French Street
Community Education Building 7th Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801
P: (302) 652-3948
261 Chapman Road
Suite 102
Newark, DE 19702
P: (302) 455-9333
Kent County
103 Mont Blanc Blvd.
Dover, DE 19904
P: (302) 678-3020
Sussex County
31168 Learning Lane
Lewes, DE 19958
P: (302) 645-5338
900 Health Services Drive
Seaford, DE 19973
P: (302) 262-3505
“I felt very distressed the first time I contacted the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy therapist. It was embarrassing to go out to the store or church with my son because of his behavior. When he played, he was rough. If I asked him to hand me a toy, he would have a temper tantrum. He also threw things around and got angry frequently.
For the first time, when I got to DGS I felt that I was being helped and I was able to breathe.
At first, when I was told I had to play with my son for five minutes every day, I did not believe it would improve his behavior. However, he looks forward to the five minutes we spend together playing because during that time, he feels that he is the most important person in the world. The special play time makes a big difference.
The program teaches you how to play and get closer to your children. I follow my child’s lead during special play time and I let him take the initiative. Sometimes I just repeat what he is saying instead of insisting on getting an answer. By doing this, it encourages him to continue talking about what interests him.
I also found that if I allow him to lead during our special play time, he later seems to listen better to my requests. I realized that if I want to see changes in my son, I have to make changes in myself as well. “
Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services
Please contact PBH by phone (302-633-2571) or (1-800-722-7710) or email for additional information or to begin the intake process. To refer a child to CARES, contact the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health (PBH) Services.
Be sure to visit the PBH website for information about the Community Based Behavioral Health Treatment Services. Please navigate to the Community Based Behavioral Health Treatment Services section.
Mobile Outpatient/Therapeutic Support for Families
CARES
The CARES Program provides brief, intensive, community-based treatment for youth who are at increased risk of harm to themselves or others, or out-of-home placement. The CARES Program acts as a bridge for youth as they transition between higher or lower levels of care. CARES clinicians work in the community alongside clients and families to rebuild relationship stability and provide brief, intensive therapeutic intervention. Youth are typically referred to the CARES Program through Prevention and Behavioral Health (PBH).
Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric services are available to clients (ages 17 and younger) who are actively receiving therapeutic services through DGS. When clinically appropriate, a child's therapist can refer them for the following psychiatric services:
- Psychiatric evaluations
- Medication assessments and recommendations
- Ongoing medication management
- Monitoring of treatment progress and medication effectiveness
Referrals are made through your DGS Outpatient Therapist.
Youth Crisis Bed Support Program
The Youth Crisis Bed Support Program (CBSP) is a short-term stabilization unit for children and youth ages 7-17 experiencing a mental health crisis. The Youth Crisis Bed Support program is for young people who require 24/7 support but do not require inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.
Children who may benefit from admission to the Youth Crisis Bed Support Program may be experiencing:
- Suicidal thoughts
- Self-injurious behavior
- Significant depression and/or anxiety
- Stress or trauma
- Runaway behavior
- Physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse
- Family and/or interpersonal conflicts
The goal of the Program is to clinically stabilize the mental health crisis and work with the client and family to develop a safety plan. After discharge, the child typically begins long-term outpatient counseling to reinforce positive change and continue developing resiliency.
If you believe your child would benefit from admission to the Youth Crisis Bed Support Program, the “on-ramp” for admission consideration begins by calling the 24-Hour Youth Crisis Hotline (1-800-969-HELP (4357)). When you call the hotline, you will be connected to DGS' Mobile Response and Stabilization Services. A Crisis Clinician will come to where you are and conduct a thorough assessment of your child and their behavioral health needs.
Helping Hands
DGS is the exclusive provider of the Helping Hands Community Awareness Program (HHCAP) in partnership with the Delaware Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services. HHCAP serves children and families throughout Delaware by providing the education, support, and community resources needed to build resilience and prevent child maltreatment. Our HHCAP clinicians work with schools, early learning centers, and community organizations to promote emotional wellness, resilience, and personal safety for children. Through education and outreach, HHCAP helps build safer, stronger families and communities.
If you are interested in hosting or participating in an HHCAP presentation, please contact:
Shemar Parker (New Castle County) or Alexis Clagg (Kent/Sussex Counties)