Columbia, SC… Continuum of Care, a division of the Department of Children’s Advocacy, recently launched a new online application process to make it easier, faster, and safer for individuals and organizations to make referrals and submit applications for treatment of serious emotional or behavioral issues.
The paperless application, available at coc.sc.gov/application, walks users through each section, ensuring it is completely filled out before submission. Based on the user’s input, the application is then routed directly to the proper office for review, and all confidential information is encrypted, ensuring secure transmission of personal information.
The completely digital process replaces a paper application that needed to be filled out and either mailed, faxed, or scanned and emailed to the appropriate COC office. Not only was this a cumbersome process, it could also lead to delays in receiving services if an application was incomplete, filled out incorrectly, or sent to the wrong office.
“We’re excited to offer this streamlined process, which means we can get to helping children that much faster,” says Greg Wright, director of COC. “It removes a lot of the hassle for parents, providers, and other caregivers, and hopefully that translates to an increase in the number of youth and families we serve.”
While COC looks forward to receiving applications and referrals through the new online system, the paper version of the application will still be available for those without access to the Internet. To receive a paper copy, citizens should call the state office at (803) 734-4500.
About Continuum of Care
COC serves children with the most severe and complex emotional or behavioral health challenges allowing them to stay in their homes, schools and communities and out of the care of the state. To accomplish this, COC uses a strengths-based and culturally-competent service delivery model called High Fidelity Wraparound.
About the Department of Children’s Advocacy
The South Carolina Department of Children’s Advocacy’s mission is to champion advocacy, accountability, and service to improve outcomes for children served by state agencies in South Carolina. The DCA is an independent state agency which administers the Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program, Continuum of Care, Foster Care Review Division, and System Improvement Division.
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To learn more, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 734-5611 or rob.schaller@childadvocate.sc.gov.