Obtaining treatment for a substance use disorder is difficult enough, but an underlying mental health condition can complicate the matter even further. On top of that, your loved one may be hesitant to go to a residential treatment program, but there is another option that will be just as beneficial for them. A partial hospitalization program may be the right place for a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder.
It is very common for a person diagnosed with a mental health disorder to also be diagnosed with a substance use disorder. Also, people diagnosed with mental health disorders often receive diagnoses of substance use disorders at a later date. Research determined that this occurs because both conditions have several risk factors in common. It may also be the case that people with undiagnosed mental health conditions tend to medicate their symptoms with substances. It may also be that substance use causes changes in the brain that lead to mental health disorders.
Research has shown that it is superior to treat a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder at the same time to ensure that both receive adequate treatment. If your loved one is in a residential program for co-occurring disorders, the best option may be for them to enter into a partial hospitalization program after it is over so that they can continue to receive a high level of treatment for both conditions.
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What Is a Partial Hospitalization Program?
Partial hospitalization is an outpatient program, so your loved ones will be able to live wherever they want to live while they are in the program. Although it isn’t a residential program, it still qualifies as a very intensive option. It is an excellent choice for your loved ones if they are experiencing a severe addiction to substances.
Because PHP is so intense, your loved one will be required to go to the facility for long periods of time each day. In general, these programs last for six hours a day, and clients must attend these sessions five days a week.
Who Is Right for Partial Hospitalization?
Partial hospitalization would be an excellent choice for a very specific population. For example, if your loved one doesn’t require 24-hour monitoring by medical staff at a facility, partial hospitalization is an option. The program still allows them to receive intense surveillance and a maximum amount of help, but it will be less restrictive.
If your loved one is in the middle of a mild to moderate substance addiction, partial hospitalization is a possibility for them. they must not be required to have constant care during the withdrawal process. If this is not the case, the best place for them is an inpatient treatment center.
Your loved one must also have stable living conditions. This means that the home environment must not have any triggers that encourage your loved one to indulge in their substance of choice. If they are able to continue working, the work environment must be as stable as the home environment. The support systems at their home and at work must be equally supportive.
Your loved one may have completed an inpatient program and needs to continue with their treatment for substance use. If they are concerned about going home, the partial hospitalization program is a great option for them as well. In addition to that, partial hospitalization is good for your loved one if they have received treatment for a co-occurring mental health disorder. Because they will be in a stable place after spending time in a residential treatment center, the physicians will be able to treat both conditions as needed.
Who Isn’t Right for Partial Hospitalization?
Partial hospitalization may not be for your loved one. For example, although your loved one may have a moderate substance use disorder, they may live in an environment that has several triggers that cause them to use their substance of choice. If your loved one lives in an area such as this, partial hospitalization isn’t a good option for them. The other residents at this home may not be doing anything to get help for their addictions, so this wouldn’t be a good place for your loved one to be. Therefore, a residential program would be better for them.
What Happens in a Partial Hospitalization Program?
The PHP will be instrumental in treating your loved one’s mental health disorder and substance use disorder. When your loved one first arrives at the facility, the staff will take an assessment that will help them determine the issues that are bothering your loved one. They will be able to diagnose the mental health condition, prescribe medications for their conditions, and schedule sessions that they will be required to attend.
Behavioral therapy has been shown to be highly effective for treating substance use disorders and mental health disorders. In the program, your loved one may be required to participate in several types of behavioral therapies. For example, your loved one’s therapist may use behavioral therapy to identify negative thoughts that lead your loved one to use substances. they will also learn how to change their negative emotions by using new coping strategies.
Individual Counseling
Therapists in partial hospitalization programs use individual counseling to treat their clients’ substance use disorders. This is also the point in time when therapists help your loved ones identify goals so that they can feel as if they are making plans for where they would like to be in the future. This is highly important because goals are the reason that people with substance use disorders begin to overcome their cravings for their substances of choice.
Relapse Prevention
Relapse prevention is also a highly important part of partial hospitalization treatment. In general, most people find the first year after rehabilitation for substance use to be the most difficult to endure. Approximately 50% of people diagnosed with substance use disorders will return to substance use, so rehabilitation programs must teach these people mechanisms that prevent future substance use.
Group Therapy
Allowing people to meet in a group gives the staff the chance to observe each person’s behavior. Group meetings are also beneficial to each client because they have the benefit from the experience of each member. Group sessions allow members to let each other know that no one is alone in this struggle with substances. Your loved one will be comfortable knowing that everyone around them knows what they are facing, and this prevents depression.
Skills
Partial hospitalization helps clients build the skills they need to leave substances behind forever. For example, your loved one will learn how to leave a situation that led to substance use in the past. In some cases, clients have difficulties remaining free of their substance use when they spend large amounts of time by themselves. At these times, it is very common for them to think about using the substance again. Partial hospitalization addresses this issue by treating these patients for any mental health issues that they may have.
Occasional Evaluations
Partial hospitalization requires that your loved one submits to occasional evaluations. Your loved one may see these evaluations as an invasion of privacy, but they are necessary because they help the staff determine whether or not your loved one is in danger of relapsing. The evaluation will give your loved one the opportunity to inform the therapist that they feel as if they need to take their drug of choice again. Then, the therapist can take this time to discourage the return to substance use.
After Partial Hospitalization
Your loved one may have started treatment for substance use in a residential program, but they must understand that their treatment doesn’t end after completing that program. It will not even end after they complete a partial hospitalization program. They will need to continue with treatment in an aftercare program, which will last for the rest of their life. After partial hospitalization, clients still need to make changes in their behavior, so they need to continue to pursue help for their addictions.
After partial hospitalization, your loved one will be welcome to choose a support group. They may decide that individual therapy or group therapy is something that they find to be beneficial and would like to continue to attend these sessions. This will all be very positive for your loved one.
Sober Living
It wouldn’t be unusual if your loved one feels comfortable only attending support groups and individual counseling sessions. Your loved one may see their home environment as a scary place, so they may be resistant to remaining thereafter partial hospitalization. Sober living homes give your loved ones a safe place to stay after they are finished with formal treatment at a New York rehab center. There isn’t nearly as much of a stigma associated with sober living homes as there used to be, so they are becoming very popular. These homes give people the safe place they need to continue with their recovery, and they can provide that safe place for the long term.
Conclusion
Partial hospitalization programs in New York provide an essential and intensive level of care for individuals struggling with both substance use and mental health disorders. These programs offer a structured environment where patients can receive comprehensive mental health treatment and substance abuse care without requiring inpatient hospitalization. The program’s effectiveness is enhanced by the involvement of skilled clinicians and mental health professionals who implement various therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
Patients benefit from a multidisciplinary treatment team that ensures a holistic approach to their recovery, focusing on both immediate stabilization and long-term wellness. The program’s structure allows individuals to maintain their daily routines while receiving intensive outpatient treatment, including individual counseling, group therapy, and medication management. This integrated approach helps patients develop coping skills and mindfulness techniques, crucial for managing their conditions and preventing relapse.
Furthermore, partial hospitalization programs are adaptable to different levels of care, providing tailored treatment plans that address the specific needs of each patient. Whether dealing with bipolar disorder, general mental illness, or dual diagnoses, these programs offer a critical bridge between inpatient care and independent living, promoting sustained recovery and overall health.
For those who complete a partial hospitalization program, ongoing support through intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and sober living arrangements ensures continued progress and stability. Although Long Island Interventions may not offer PHPs directly, they recognize the importance of such programs and are committed to referring individuals to trusted affiliate providers who can offer the necessary health services.
In summary, partial hospitalization programs play a vital role in the continuum of behavioral health care, providing intensive treatment that supports both short-term recovery and long-term wellness. These programs are essential for those who require a high level of care without the need for a hospital stay, making them a viable and effective option for many seeking recovery from substance abuse and mental health disorders.
Partial Hospitalization Programs are not directly offered by Long Island Interventions. However, we do recognize that this type of addiction treatment is often necessary and vital to one’s long-term recovery from substance abuse. If you or a loved one require any services that we do not offer, we would be glad to refer you to one of our trusted affiliate providers.
