Transitioning Out of Intensive Mental Health Treatment

Getting into an inpatient treatment program can be overwhelming, especially when thinking about what comes next. There are different levels of care for people with different needs. When someone is in immediate crisis, they often utilize an inpatient program. This high level of care offers people a safe space to work through their mental health issues and get to a safer space. Often, people go from inpatient care to some form of outpatient care. Whether this is through a daily program or transitioning into life at home with a therapist, it is important to plan for these transitions throughout your mental health journey. West Coast Recovery Centers offers planning for transitioning out of intensive mental health care. 

Planning for transition out of intensive mental health care requires making a safety plan and having a continuation of care to follow through with. Transitioning home after treatment can be just as difficult as admitting you need help. You may feel overwhelmed with what to do next. Therapy will provide you with the things that you need to make this treatment easy and effective. 

Understanding the Phases of Mental Health Care

When someone is in a mental health crisis, they may need a more acute and higher level of care. This may include needing to be hospitalized and going to an inpatient facility. Within the inpatient program, clients can receive intense one-on-one care. This allows people to work through emergencies and mental health crises. The next care step for people is transitioning to something like intensive outpatient, or partial hospitalization. 

West Coast Recovery Centers offers different mental health programs to help with this middle-level care for our clients. In these programs, clients receive daily treatment and go to groups while being able to go home at the end of the day. These programs are effective in giving clients a median between high-level care and transitioning to home. While these programs offer a daily treatment option for our clients, it is important to plan for the next level of care. The providers you work with can help explain what to expect in the next phases of treatment. 

Once you are at home, continuing what you have learned in treatment is important. This phase of treatment consists of finding a provider that can work with you through transitioning back into daily life, such as school or work. These providers work within your schedule as you work throughout the transition. Therapy at home may look different for everyone but often includes weekly therapy and skill-building sessions, sometimes more. These appointments give you the independence to work through the struggles of daily life. Transitioning into this level of care can be difficult, which is why planning is important. 

Planning for Transitioning Out of Intensive Care

Transitioning out of intensive care starts with making a plan within treatment. Your providers will work with you to create a plan that gives you the necessary resources. These resources can include things like support groups and providers to transfer your care into. Finding a provider to help with transitioning will help ensure a continuation of care without lapse. Therapists in your treatment program can work with the providers that you transfer to provide the most seamless care possible, sharing information and ensuring your treatment stays on track. Having treatment available to you is an important part of continuing care and transitioning to life at home. 

Understanding the importance of mental health care is integral in finding adequate providers to fill therapy or medication management needs. When transitioning out of high-level care, you are more vulnerable to falling away from your recovery. Having a plan of where to go or who to call will help with your chances of long-term success. Recovery is a journey that starts with active choices to live healthily at home.

Continuing Care at Home

As you move back into daily life, the risk of relapse is higher. This is because of the vulnerability of being away from intensive care, when you may feel you have to manage yourself. While relapse is not the end of the road, knowing what to do if it happens and how to best avoid it is important. As you transition into daily life, you may be exposed to situations from before recovery. This may trigger you to have certain responses, which may push you away from the progress you have made. 

It is important to use transitional planning and turn to the providers and resources that you gained to help yourself stay on track. You don't have to do this work by yourself. The planning you do within intensive treatment will prepare you for these situations. The skills that you learn in treatment will help you stay healthy and in control of your health. 

Transitioning into and out of intensive care can be difficult to adjust to. Finding a program you trust to provide adequate and effective care is integral to your long-term recovery. You will start planning to transition back into your daily life throughout treatment. This transition includes finding a therapist or provider to continue giving you care once you get home. Your care team within intensive care will work with your providers back at home to ensure a seamless transition. Once you leave intensive care, the goal is to maintain a healthy state of mind and lifestyle. If you are interested in learning more about our transitional planning, call West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509.