DCP&P Staff Resources

Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) staff resources

DCP&P staff can work with PerformCare to help identify appropriate behavioral health treatment services for child welfare involved youth, including youth in foster care. Call PerformCare at 877-652-7624 and listen for the prompt for DCP&P.

DCP&P authorizations

PerformCare’s 24/7 call center assesses and provides authorization for the following services:

  • Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS).
  • BioPsychoSocial (BPS) assessments.
  • Care management organization (CMO).
  • Intensive in community (IIC)/behavioral assistant (IIC services are available as a part of a behavioral health plan for children enrolled in CMO or MRSS).
  • Partial hospitalization (PHP).
  • Court-ordered 14 day plans.
  • Multi-systemic therapy (MST).
  • Functional family therapy (FFT).
  • CSOC out of home treatment (for example: Treatment Home, Group Home, Psychiatric Community Home).

How does it work?

  1. Contact PerformCare at 877-652-7624 and listen for the prompt for DCP&P.
  2. A Member Service Specialist will register the youth or confirm the youth’s details. 
  3. You will be connected to a Care Coordinator (a NJ licensed clinician). Please stay on the line while you are transferred to the next available Care Coordinator. 
  4. The Care Coordinator will gather information about the youth’s current behaviors and your reason for calling. This information will be utilized to determine the most appropriate clinical services.

For child welfare services

If services are for a family receiving Child Welfare Services, please consider making the call with the family as parental consent for services is required.

For substance use services

If you need substance use treatment services, you can continue to refer youth directly to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) contracted slots available for DCP&P-involved youth. 

You can also contact PerformCare to access those same slots. However, the youth must sign the substance use treatment consent form (PDF)before we can authorize substance use treatment services.

When should a DCP&P worker contact PerformCare?

Contact PerformCare when you or a caregiver has concerns about the child’s emotional and behavioral well-being. For example:

  • Symptoms of depression.
  • School refusal.
  • Peer conflict.
  • Family conflict (domestic violence, substance use, refusal to comply with rules).
  • Hopelessness/helplessness.
  • Grief (loss of family, death).
  • Physical and/or verbal aggression.
  • Traumatic event (multiple placements, house fire, family and community violence, etc).
  • Initial placement, threat of disruption in living situation.

*For out-of-home treatment, see telephonic review guidelines (PDF).

Additional information

Your clinical consultant can explain clinical evaluations such as a psychiatric or psychological evaluation, the diagnosis, and what services would best fit the youth and family.