Intensive In-Community Services for New Jersey residents.
Bridges is a licensed provider of Intensive In-Community (IIC) services in New Jersey. IIC services provide short-term therapeutic support for youth experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges that cannot be addressed through routine outpatient therapy. Services are delivered in the child’s home or community setting, with the goal of helping families regain stability while reducing the need for more restrictive or intensive interventions whenever possible.
IIC services at a glance
Location
New Jersey
Population
Children and teens
Setting
Home, school, or community
Frequency
Typically 1–2 hrs / week
Provider type
Licensed behavioral health clinicians
Duration
Short-term and goal-focused, typically lasting several months
Access
Through the Children’s System of Care (PerformCare)
Who May Qualify
IIC services are typically appropriate for youth who:
Are under age 21 and live in New Jersey
Are experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges that significantly affect functioning at home, school, or in the community
Require more support than routine outpatient therapy can provide
Eligibility and authorization are determined through the Children’s System of Care after an assessment of the youth’s needs.
Sessions take place in the child's natural environment — home, school, or community — where challenges actually occur. By meeting families where they are, clinicians can observe real dynamics and build strategies that fit their daily lives.
Why it matters
Traditional office settings can mask the real challenges a family faces. In-community sessions create space for authentic interaction — allowing clinicians to see patterns, test strategies in real-time, and build trust in the environments that matter most.
Targeted therapeutic intervention
Clinicians address emotional and behavioral challenges directly, using evidence-based approaches tailored to the youth. Each treatment plan is individualized to address the specific needs identified in the assessment.
The approach
Interventions are grounded in proven clinical methods — including cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and motivational approaches — adapted to the youth's developmental stage, cultural context, and family system.
Family involvement
Parents and caregivers participate in the process, building the skills and understanding needed to sustain progress at home. Family sessions focus on communication, boundary-setting, and shared problem-solving.
Building lasting change
Youth don't exist in isolation. By equipping the entire family with tools and strategies, IIC services create a support system that continues working long after formal services end — reducing the likelihood of future crises.
Stabilization and skill-building
Support focuses on improving functioning at home, school, and in the community — strengthening the whole family system. The goal is stabilization first, then building the skills to maintain progress independently.
Measurable outcomes
Progress is tracked across key areas — school attendance, behavioral incidents, family conflict, and coping skills — ensuring that services remain focused and that families can see concrete results over time.
New Jersey’s System of Care
IIC services are part of the New Jersey Children’s System of Care (CSOC), a statewide network that connects youth and families with behavioral health and developmental services.
NJ Children's System of Care (CSOC)
Statewide system overseeing youth behavioral health services
PerformCare
Single entry point for assessment and service authorization
Care Management Organization (CMO)
Service coordinator and care plan manager
IIC Provider — Bridges
Licensed provider of therapeutic services as part of the plan
This structure ensures that services are coordinated, while each provider focuses on its specific role.
Bridges’ role as an IIC provider
Bridges provides services after authorization as part of the approved care plan. Our clinicians work directly with youth and families to:
Address emotional and behavioral challenges
Strengthen coping and regulation skills
Improve family dynamics and communication
Support functioning at home, school, and in the community
Services typically involve individual work with the child, as well as collaboration with parents and caregivers when appropriate.
Bridges works closely with the youth’s care team—including system care managers, schools, and other providers—to ensure support is coordinated and effective.
Who May Qualify
How families access IIC services
Families access Intensive In-Community services through PerformCare, the contracted system administrator for New Jersey’s Children’s System of Care.
1
Contacting PerformCare
A parent or guardian calls to request services or support.
2
Assessment
PerformCare and CSOC evaluate the youth’s needs.
3
Service Authorization
If appropriate, IIC services may be recommended.
4
Provider Assignment
After services are authorized, families may request Bridges as their IIC provider, subject to provider availability and system authorization.
Eligibility and service authorization are determined by PerformCare and the Children’s System of Care based on clinical need.
IIC services are funded through New Jersey’s public behavioral health system and are typically provided at no cost to families.
How IIC fits within Bridges’ broader support
When IIC services are authorized, Bridges clinicians deliver the therapeutic interventions outlined in the youth’s care plan, coordinating with care managers, schools, and other authorized providers as appropriate.
Bridges provides a wide range of services. Not every Bridges family is eligible for IIC, and in some situations, families receiving IIC through Bridges may also be connected with other Bridges programs or community supports. In those cases, Bridges works collaboratively with the youth’s care team to ensure that services remain coordinated and aligned with the care plan.
Professional Standards & Confidentiality
Bridges provides IIC services with the same level of clinical oversight, professionalism, and confidentiality that guides all of our work.
Our clinicians operate within established professional and legal standards. Information is shared only as appropriate within the care process and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
HIPAA privacy protections
Licensed behavioral health credentials
Clinical supervision and oversight
Coordination with authorized care team
Learn more about IIC and the CSOC
PerformCare
The single point of entry for behavioral health and developmental services for youth in New Jersey. Includes information on IIC and how families or professionals can request services.
