Do you know what to expect in PHP, or what some of the common characteristics of a industry standard PHP are? Southern Live Oak Wellness is the premiere mental health provider in Georgia. Our mental health center offers a Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) to empower people ready for a structured, comprehensive pathway to care. 

Read on for an in-depth guide on PHP programs at Southern Live Oak Wellness that covers who needs it most, what it entails, and how to best prepare for a painless yet successful journey to recovery.

Understanding Your Options: When is a PHP Program Right for You?

A PHP program acts as the next step after inpatient treatment and as a bridge to traditional outpatient care. People at this phase often need more emotional support and success in their daily functioning than outpatient therapy provides. Here are some signs that a PHP program might be a good fit.

• Outpatient Therapy Isn’t Enough: Even modest outpatient therapy won’t cut it for some people – they’ll need a form of care that is more intensive than outpatient but that still provides less structure and therapeutic intervention than hospitalization.
• Structured Living with Day Treatment: The PHP’s structured environment and supervision can help individuals who need more assistance with day-to-day living, and who need extra help controlling symptoms during day-to-day living, before reintegrating fully into a less structured environment.
• A Higher Level of Therapeutic and Support Intervention: A PHP delivers a higher level of therapeutic and support intervention than most outpatient programs, which can be important when symptoms are severe, relapses are frequent or issues are highly focused or traumatic.
• Ability to Participate Actively: You must be willing to actively participate in treatment, including taking prescribed medications, and fully and actively participate in therapy sessions. Desire to Get Better ­– You must want to get better. The best results come from those who have a deep desire to recover and are committed to the full course of treatment and structure of the program. 
• Step down from inpatient care: A PHP can provide a smooth transition from residential treatment for mental health. People who just completed such treatment and are ready to step down can benefit from the opportunity to experience life in the community but with significant support and the still-present therapeutic intervention.

What to Expect in PHP at Southern Live Oak Wellness

Southern Live Oak Wellness has a highly structured, individualized outpatient programming model to advance your mental health recovery. Here’s what you can expect while participating:

• Continuity of Care: Most clients maintain not only the same, or many of the same, staff they met at residential, but also continuation with their primary counselor, their psychiatrist, and the peer group they so carefully put together during residential. There is a comfort and acceptance that happens between the client and these individuals that allows the calmness that must certainly be present during the transition to the next phase.
• Emphasis on Independent Living Skills Development: While continued clients receive help, they are encouraged to use the life skills learned in residential treatment more independently every day. Your daily tasks will aim to promote autonomy and increased confidence in doing things on your own, so you can return home and live independently with confidence. 
• Tailored Activities for Reintegration: The program will include a range of activities. Some of these will be similar to those conducted in residential treatment, which would serve as a foundation for skill development. However, an equal or greater part will be spent practicing these skills in real-world scenarios, helping clients become ready to live independently with minimal supervision and become reintegrated into their communities.
• Individualized Therapy Sessions: Private one-to-one sessions are held with a dedicated therapist and psychiatrist to support the specific needs and treatment objectives of each client. A safe space is created to work through issues, develop coping mechanisms, and identify triggers.
• Group Therapy: Being in group therapy offers individuals an opportunity to interact with other patients using similar voice principles, offering avenues of support as well as new opportunities to gain perspective.
• Education Workshops: workshops may be provided to teach skills, increase understanding, and provide information on a variety of mental health conditions, such as medication management, mindfulness, relapse prevention, stress management, healthy communication, etc.

Addressing Mental Health Challenges: Conditions Treated by the PHP Program

At Southern Live Oak Wellness, we offer a PHP which addresses a wide selection of mental health conditions for which one can benefit from expert support. These conditions include:

• Anxiety disorders (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, etc.)
• Depression (Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder, etc.)
• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Personality disorders (Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, etc.)
• Suicidal thoughts or self-harm
• Eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder, etc.)
• Dual diagnosis (co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder)

Not Everyone Needs a PHP Program: Who May Not Be a Good Fit?

Although a PHP program is the right kind of support for many, it just doesn’t work for everyone. Here are three cases in which something other than PHP might be more appropriate. 

• Those Who Need 24/7 Supervision: If you need constant supervision due to the severity of your condition or safety concerns (for instance, because you are a danger to yourself or others), you might be better off in an inpatient program. Inpatient settings are secure and can provide both supervision and medical care 24 hours a day.
• Patients Not Ready To Be Active Participants In Their Recovery: The patient’s ability to engage with and commit to their treatment is an essential element for success in a PHP program. Participation in therapy sessions, medication adherence, and a willingness to work with the program’s structure are critical. When recovery does not meet the above markers, individuals may not be ready for a PHP program.
• Persons With Active Substance Use Disorders: While Southern Live Oak Wellness has extensive treatment experience for dual diagnosis – mental health and substance use – some individuals are incapable of participating effectively in a program that deals exclusively with mental health issues while also struggling with active substance use disorders. These individuals would likely require an intensive treatment program that addresses both mental health and substance use disorders simultaneously. These situations warrant concurrent care and may not be supported by a PHP of mental health alone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About PHP Programs

Below are some answers to the most frequently asked questions from patients interested in PHP programs.

Q: How long does a typical PHP program last?

A: The length of the program is individualized according to the client’s needs and goals; it can be extended from several weeks to a few months. The treatment team and family help to establish the ideal length of stay at Southern Live Oak Wellness.

Q: Is the program covered by insurance?

A: Most insurance plans cover PHP; our staff can verify your coverage and help with insurance authorization before starting the program. 

Q: What should I bring to the program?

A: When entering the PHP program at Southern Live Oak Wellness, affected individuals will receive a more detailed list of what to bring. Generally speaking, they recommend comfortable clothing, toiletry supplies, a notebook for taking notes or journaling, books, music – whatever is important to you and will help you enjoy your stay and make the process more enjoyable.

Q: What if I have more questions? 

When you enter into the program, you will get as much information as possible about the program, what will be expected of you, and a day-to-day schedule of activities. Southern Live Oak Wellness will provide this, but always feel free to ask questions if anything is unclear. We are here to answer all of your questions!

In addition, make sure to speak with program staff about concerns or anxieties you have in advance. Someone on the team cares about how you are doing and is there for you during the process. 

Begin Your Journey to Improved Mental Health Today

Going into treatment is a courageous step, so starting right by adopting a positive attitude and willingness to learn can make an impactful difference. If you take the time to prepare and understand what to expect, you can have a positive meaningful experience in Southern Live Oak Wellness’s PHP program. Recovery takes time, but the program staff are committed to supporting you the whole way. Contact us now to take your first steps to improving your mental health today!