Partial care programs, also often referred to as Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs), are structured outpatient mental health services designed for individuals who need more intensive treatment than traditional outpatient therapy but do not require 24-hour inpatient hospitalization. These programs offer a comprehensive and coordinated approach to care, providing a supportive environment for individuals to address their mental health needs while continuing to live at home and maintain connections with their community.
Partial care programs serve as a crucial bridge between less intensive outpatient services and more restrictive inpatient care. They are designed to prevent hospitalization, support individuals transitioning from inpatient settings back to community living, and offer a higher level of care for those whose symptoms significantly impact their daily functioning. These programs are particularly beneficial for youth and young adults facing mental health challenges that impede their ability to manage daily life effectively. Without the structure and support offered by partial care, these individuals might face greater risk of needing inpatient hospitalization.
Who Benefits from a Partial Care Program?
Partial care programs are tailored for individuals experiencing mental health symptoms or conditions that interfere with their everyday lives. While specific admission criteria can vary between programs and states, common indicators that someone might benefit from partial care include:
- Significant Functional Impairment: Difficulty maintaining daily routines, such as personal hygiene, household tasks, work, or school due to mental health symptoms.
- Symptom Severity: Experiencing symptoms like depression, anxiety, psychosis, or mood instability that are intense and disruptive to daily life.
- Need for Structured Support: Requiring more support and structure than can be provided through weekly outpatient therapy sessions.
- Transition Support: Needing support to transition from inpatient hospitalization or residential treatment back to independent living in the community.
- Risk of Hospitalization: Being at risk of hospitalization if they do not receive more intensive outpatient care.
- Co-occurring Disorders: Individuals with both mental health and substance use disorders may also benefit from the integrated care offered in some partial care programs.
To illustrate the typical criteria for admission, consider the guidelines used by PerformCare for youth and young adults. These criteria highlight key aspects considered when evaluating the necessity of partial care services:
- Age: Typically designed for youth and young adults, often up to the age of 21.
- Need for External Support: Requiring substantial clinical and social support to maintain stability outside of a hospital or residential setting, or to facilitate the transition back to the community from more restrictive environments.
- Comprehensive Program Need: Clinical assessments indicate the need for an integrated program offering clinical and psychosocial rehabilitation services to improve community functioning.
- Symptomatology and Diagnosis: Presenting symptoms consistent with recognized mental health diagnoses (like those in the DSM-IV or DSM-5) or exhibiting emotional and behavioral disturbances that necessitate intensive therapeutic intervention.
- Program Attendance Capacity: Possessing the ability to attend the program regularly and having a stable enough life situation to maintain program participation.
- Risk Level: Presenting a risk to themselves or others that, while not requiring 24/7 medical supervision, does necessitate structured supervision for a significant portion of the day, along with family and community support outside of program hours. This can include self-neglect, significant interference in daily living due to mood, thought, or behavioral disorders, suicidal thoughts, or self-endangering behaviors.
- Complex Treatment Needs: Requiring a comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment approach, potentially including psychiatric observation, medication management, and behavioral interventions to improve functioning and minimize risks.
Resources for Partial Care and Behavioral Health Services
If you or someone you know is seeking more information about partial care programs or other behavioral health services, the following resources can be helpful:
- New Jersey Department of Human Services: Offers a range of behavioral health services and resources. Visit their website (https://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhas/resources/services/) to explore available support and learn how they can assist you.
- PerformCare: A national behavioral health management organization that provides various services, including partial care and inpatient care. More information is available on their website: https://www.performcarenj.org/index.aspx.
- SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): A federal agency providing resources and information on mental health and substance use disorders. Their website (https://www.samhsa.gov/) offers a national helpline and a treatment locator to find services in your area.
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