Memorial Health’s Behavioral Health Services has expanded its mental health programs to include two new offerings for adult patients – partial hospitalization program and adult dual-diagnosis intensive outpatient program. Both programs will launch next week on Monday, August 24.
“These new programs will expand our complement of outpatient services and help meet an important need for mental health services in our region,” said Dr. Stephen Yost, medical director for Memorial Health Behavioral Health Services. “Both programs are for adults 18 and older who are dealing with issues like depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, relational conflicts, and grief or loss.”
The partial hospitalization program (PHP) seeks to provide mental health care that is similar to the inpatient experience in an outpatient environment; that is, the patient receives comprehensive psychiatric care during the day and returns home each afternoon. PHP combines group therapy, individual therapy sessions and medication management, all geared toward treating symptoms which impair functioning and providing a therapeutic environment to encourage recovery. Patients are in the program five days a week, from 9 AM – 2 PM. The program duration is usually 2-4 weeks.
Our adult dual-diagnosis intensive program is for patients who have a primary mental health diagnosis as well as an addiction. The program will help individuals decrease their mental health symptoms, while providing them education and support in their recovery process for the goal of improving their overall functioning. The dual-diagnosis program takes place in an outpatient setting, where patients meet four days a week, from 9 AM – 12 PM.
“Mental health issues and addiction are often closely connected in patients,” said Yost. “Our goal is to provide treatment for both issues that help the patient deal with their feelings so they don’t turn to drugs, alcohol and other addictive substances as a coping mechanism.”
Referrals may be made by the client, psychiatrist, mental health professional, social service agencies or family members. Please call (912) 350-5600 for referrals or assessments.