How to Figure Out What You need

Today let's learn about levels of care in mental health and substance abuse treatment. Sometimes counselors need to refer clients out to other types of programs to best meet their needs. For instance, clients who are actively using substances compromising their health may need more frequent meetings, group therapy, detox, or residential/inpatient treatment. Or a client who is having thoughts of suicide, having debilitating panic attacks, or extremely depressed may need a higher level of care. Part of the counseling process is determining what level of care is appropriate.

Here is a description of common terms you may encounter when trying to find the right level of care. You can use this as a guide to finding and selecting the right service for you.

In order from most restrictive to least:

1.      Medically Managed Inpatient

• Supervised detoxification and stabilization under the care of 24/7 medical staff
  
• Provides safety when detoxing from substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids
• Helpful when clients have complicated medical conditions and co-occurring substance abuse and mental health conditions

2.       Inpatient or Residential (IP)

• May or may not include 24/7 medical care
• Involves a stay at the facility or hospital while receiving treatment.
• Can last from overnight, a few days, weeks, or in rare cases a month or more.
• Usually receive medical care, individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, recreation, all meals
  

3.       Partial Hospitalization (PHP)

• Involves spending most all of the day at the facility or hospital, but evenings and nights are spent at home
• Usually receive medical care, individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, some meals
• Removes you from your everyday environment without the added cost and time of spending nights
• Must have a stable and healthy home environment
  

4.       Intensive Outpatient (IOP)

• Involves 3-6 hours per day at the facility or hospital
• Involves group, family, and individual counseling, might share a meal
• Appropriate for those who need a high level of care to support a change in everyday living but need to maintain their work or school schedule
• Must have a stable and healthy home environment
  

5.       Outpatient (this is what Flourish provides)

• Weekly counseling sessions for family, individual, or group
• May or may not involve collaboration with physicians for medication management
• Focus may be on abstaining from substance use or problematic behaviors, and preventing relapse 
• Focus may be on “harm reduction”, or decreasing the amount or frequency of substance used
  

6.       Prevention and Early Intervention

• Information is provided to the general public about mental health and substance abuse
• May be used with  individuals experiencing life stress that may lead to substance abuse or mental health diagnosis

Health care professionals can help you make the best decision for what level of care is most appropriate. The first step is reaching out and letting us know what you're going through. We are here to help.