Mental health is an essential factor in achieving wellness. Institutions, especially in the medical field, opened their doors to more studies and research to treat mental illnesses. Professionals introduced approaches to administering medical treatment under levels of care, which are based on the severity of a patient’s condition.
There are many available levels of care for those diagnosed with behavioural health disorders. You may have heard some of them, like inpatient and outpatient care. One that you may want to check out is a partial hospitalization program.
Partial Hospitalization Program
What is a partial hospitalization program? Also known as PHP, it’s a level of care with features of inpatient and outpatient combined. Patients go to a mental health facility during the daytime for several treatment sessions but are allowed to return to their homes at night.
These sessions may last between four and eight hours and take place five days per week – a schedule that may somehow remind you of a class timetable. Additionally, they include individual and group therapies that can help healthcare providers ensure their patients’ recovery. Some therapies include the following:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy: It’s a therapeutic session that allows patients to identify and challenge their negative thoughts. For example, a psychiatrist may ask a child with extreme fear of sharp objects that’s caused by trauma to take a look at a group of knives. Then the group will help the child evaluate their thoughts and regulate them. The concept of this approach may sound harsh, but it’s effective in helping patients face their fears, especially for those dealing with trauma.
- Lectures/discussions: Mental health professionals discuss mental health facts and how they affect their patients’ wellness. For example, suppose the patients who enrolled in a PHP are diagnosed with drug addiction. In that case, a psychiatrist will educate them about the dangers of illegal drugs, especially if consumed in great quantity. Education is an excellent approach to giving substance abuse patients more motivation to control their drug cravings.
- Counselling: Mental health providers ensure their patients’ progress while PHP is ongoing. They assess the recovery status of their client by asking them about how they feel or whether they’re feeling better.
To determine if PHP is the most suitable choice for you, you need to consider these factors:
Your Mental Illness Diagnosis
Healthcare providers first identify the illness of their patient and how severe it is through a series of tests in order to find out what level of care they should prescribe. This way, they’ll ensure their patient’s sound recovery.
For example, if a patient suffers from chemical dependency and substance abuse and consumes an immense quantity of drugs, healthcare providers offer a medical detox treatment to remove harmful substances from their patient’s body before allowing them to undergo inpatient care treatment.
On the other hand, you can consider PHP as your preferred level of care for mental health treatment if your doctor states that you:
- have a mild to moderate level of mental illness
- don’t need emergency care
- don’t have a tendency to hurt yourself and others
If You Can Afford Partial Hospitalization Treatment
PHP may not be that expensive compared with an inpatient level of care, but it may still cost a considerable amount of USD$500 per day. To guarantee that you can manage the payment for the program, consider availing yourself of insurance.
Medical insurances, such as Aetna, Medicare, and Medicaid, can cover PHP expenses up to 100%. The coverage may depend on your chosen plan sponsor and network coverage, so consider choosing an in-network provider to make sure you get the most benefit.
If You Have Other Commitments To Meet
As mentioned earlier, PHP may be four to eight hours long per session, five days per week, allowing its patients to return home at night. So, the flexibility of the program’s schedule can make it possible for you to still attend to your responsibilities at home and work while undergoing treatment.
If You Need Peer Support
PHP can involve therapy sessions with a group. Many others who participate in these kinds of sessions may face a similar mental health issue as you do. Accepting and overcoming your problems and your fear of being isolated and not being understood can be challenging if you try to deal with it all on your own.
But with the support of other people who understand what you’re going through, you’ll be able to build the strength to rise above and find common ground. Engaging in group therapy will be a wonderful opportunity to make a fresh start for yourself. On top of that, it will help you believe that you can overcome problems, like anxiety, depression, or substance abuse.
Conclusion
A partial hospitalization program is an outpatient level of care that allows patients to receive treatment through several sessions without the need to stay at a hospital overnight. It can be your best choice, depending on your diagnosis, financial availability, responsibilities, and preference for getting peer support. Like other levels of care for mental health, it can be the most effective approach as long as you’re willing to recover.
