Screening, Treatment, Assessment, Referral and Treatment (START) Process
    
Children born to women who use alcohol and illicit drugs during pregnancy represent a large population of children at high risk for long term health and behavioral health outcomes. These children are at the core of the child welfare population in San Bernardino County and present with multiple problems that require interactions with a wide variety of County agencies. Furthermore, just as prenatal exposure to alcohol or drugs as well as premature birth and poor maternal nutrition can harm fetal brain development, family violence, substance abuse in the family, or maternal depression can interfere with the child's brain development after birth. Ultimately, intertwining social and biological factors contribute to long-term success or failure of all high risk children.

Vision
Children and their families living in San Bernardino County shall receive a comprehensive continuum of screening, assessment, referral, treatment and prevention services to ensure that:

bulletBabies are born free of exposure to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs
bulletChildren are raised in a safe and nurturing home
bulletChildren and families achieve optimal health and development.

Children and their families, especially young children ages 0-6, will be screened, assessed and referred for treatment through a universal collaborative and standardized process that strengthens and builds on existing programs in the community. Our goal is to improve the mental and social functioning of children as measured by school readiness and the achievement of appropriated developmental milestones.\

For more information contact Amy Cousineau at (909) 387-5375