Extended Care Treatment Program
Research has demonstrated that the vast majority of clients pursuing drug, alcohol and mental health rehabilitation treatment benefit from extended care, especially for therapies designed and tailored to treat addiction, depression and dual-diagnosis. At Morningside, we generally define extended care as treatment and clinical services that extend past a standard 14-to-28 day initial treatment period. For clients new to recovery, extended care reinforces their new outlook and skills. For those with previous difficulty remaining clean and sober after primary treatment, extended care is often the crucial "missing link" to sustained sobriety. Moreover, participating in extended care treatment assists in leading to a sober transition — into a more independent life of sobriety, and enhanced mental health.
Morningside has a variety of extended care tracks available that meet every client's unique road to recovery. For example, many clients want to work on physical health and body image issues as part of our Healthy Living track, while continuing to attend an intense schedule of therapy and community groups: such therapy is facilitated by Morningside clinical staff and provides individuals with the opportunity to discuss life issues among peers, in a safe and supportive setting. These groups offer clients an opportunity to share their concerns and to receive dialogue and feedback specific to their problems, road-blocks but also life opportunities.
In addition to small core group sessions with their primary therapist, clients participating in extended care also can avail themselves of individual therapy sessions. All sessions allow clients to progress in the therapeutic work they’ve already accomplished; clients identify and clarify issues relating to their respective transitional living challenges, discovering coping mechanisms tailored to their new situations. In addition, clients are scheduled for individual sessions with our doctors, psychiatrists, and other specialists, as needed. Morningside clients are evaluated on their readiness to move into extended care or out to Transitional Living, the Morningside Academic Institute, or other Phase III Extended Care programming. Rather than advance clients based on the raw passage of time, progression through levels of care is addressed on an individual basis, based on clinical progress and assessment of the client.
Clients in extended care continue to attend educational seminars to get in-depth information about the latest research in the recovery field with the idea that knowledge is power when it comes to addictions and co-occurring disorders. Case managers and therapists work individually and in groups with clients who are struggling. The importance of the role of case manager should not be underestimated. For example, the client’s case manager is often part of his or her treatment from day one and has helped develop an individualized treatment plan. In their role as liaison to outside family members, the case manager is acutely aware of what’s going on in a client’s life and thus able to arrest the slippery slope to relapse. All case managers know the ins-and-outs of recovery and this knowledge often makes the difference when helping clients with anger management, career skills, relationship building, and relapse prevention. Extended care is not about just putting in time — it’s about achieving long-term sobriety and positive mental health.
Testimonials
