Not everyone undergoing a mental health crisis needs to be hospitalized. At South Texas Health System (STHS) Behavioral, staff are committed to bringing sustainable healing into their patients’ lives without disturbing daily living. STHS Behavioral recently launched its intensive outpatient program (IOP) to provide comprehensive care for those suffering from ongoing mental health issues like depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, or other emotional disorders but don’t require 24/7 supervision. Available to adolescents and adults, the program allows patients to receive the necessary care while still living in their homes and continuing to work or attend school. Additionally, telehealth services can also be utilized for qualified patients.
“Mental health is a topic that is far too taboo in our community,” said Leticia Sosa, MSSW., LCSW., LCDC-I., CLYL., director of outpatient services, STHS Behavioral. “The diagnosis doesn’t define a person. Instead, it is a tool to better understand the whole person and set them up for success.”
Setting up patients for long-term success is what the intensive outpatient program is all about, with the treatment program starting with an individualized treatment plan geared toward each patient’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We believe in highly tailoring each treatment plan to the individual, no cookie-cutter plans here,” said Sosa. “As much as possible, we love to include the families of patients when building each plan. Oftentimes, families have acute insight to triggers and behavioral patterns of their loved one. Having families partner with us increases implementation and long-term success by over 50%.”
After setting up the treatment plan, patients undergo a rigorous psychoeducational curriculum designed to educate them on emotional patterns and help them better understand the symptoms they may be experiencing.
“Really, everyone would benefit from this curriculum,” Sosa said. “The tools and topics we teach are helpful for any walk of life and leave patients feeling empowered to implement healthy ways of coping into their daily lives.”
In addition to the curriculum, patients benefit from group time with qualified licensed therapists who review topics such as coping with depression and anxiety, stress and anger management, communication skills, socialization skills, and relaxation skills. Patients also benefit from expert opinion and advice from therapists and can confer and learn from their peers who are struggling with similar problems.
Far too often, outpatient behavioral health clinics can unfortunately be costly, excluding many who would benefit from services. However, at STHS Behavioral, the staff is proud to offer compatibility with most insurances, including Medicaid and Medicare.
Additionally, Sosa is working hard to provide grant funding for free treatment for those without insurance. This effort and commitment to going the extra mile for patients set STHS Behavioral apart. Unsurprisingly, it is no wonder that patients come from all over the state to receive quality, compassionate care at the highest level.
In addition to providing quality care for patients in the program, STHS Behavioral has formed strong alliances with surrounding hospitals and schools outside of the program to ensure patient well-being.
“Oftentimes, the true challenge starts when patients go back to their daily lives,” Sosa said. “We believe that healing should not stop when the program is completed. Thus, we have fostered amazing relationships with a wide variety of institutions in our community to partner with us in providing patient care well after they finish our program.”
Patients can rest assured that plans will be implemented upon returning to school or work to support continued care. Should hospital inpatient services be needed, STHS Behavioral ensures that a defined plan is in place to avoid any delays, especially in any moment of critical crisis.
STHS Behavioral is committed to bringing the highest quality of mental and behavioral health care to each patient and, in doing so, is making a difference in the lives of residents across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond. One step at a time, STHS Behavioral is chipping away at the stigma that has surrounded mental health for far too long and is improving the quality of life for countless individuals in the Rio Grande Community.
To learn more about STHS Behavioral’s Intensive Outpatient Program, call 956-388-1300 or visit STHSBehavioral.com.
