Origins Behavioral HealthCare’s residential addiction programs are designed to treat people with substance use disorders related to alcohol and other drugs. There are times, however, when even clinical and medical professionals working with an individual might be unsure if the person is truly chemically dependent. For those cases, Hanley Center at Origins in tropical West Palm Beach, FL, offers a ten-day Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) to help determine the extent of a person’s condition.
What is a Clinical Assessment?
A clinical assessment is an organized way to collect information and draw conclusions about an individual’s condition and symptoms through observation, interviewing, psychological testing, and neurological testing. The Origins’ CAP is not for people who simply want to detox or who want a short residential stay. Instead, it is limited to patients whose clinical presentation does not clearly indicate whether or not a full course of residential treatment is necessary.
Clinical Assessment Services
Patients completing the Clinical Assessment Program receive the following services:
Often, patients misusing substances have developed a physiological dependence to chemicals, and the sudden removal of those chemicals can cause complications ranging from slight discomfort to extreme physical complications, including seizure and even death. Origins has provided state-of-the-art, on-site detox for many years. Our medical team works to ensure that every patient is medically managed for safety and to minimize discomfort as much as possible during this crucial time.
All patients entering the Origins’ Clinical Assessment Program complete an initial nursing assessment within the first hours of arrival. This helps our medical team assess and treat acute concerns that need immediate medical attention. Our proximity to St. Mary’s Medical Center, a renowned hospital directly adjacent to Hanley Center, ensures that we can swiftly transfer them to emergency care if needed.
Upon arrival into our care, each person is screened for psychiatric concerns. Taking a mental health screening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether a person is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, especially symptoms that may affect a person’s safety, such as thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
Within 24 hours, patients receive a complete history and physical (H&P) exam from a physician or other practitioner (ARNP or PA). This allows us to begin addressing any chronic or acute medical conditions that may be present.
The biopsychosocial assessment, conducted through a personalized interview with a therapist, allows our team to assess for biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to problems such as mental health and substance use disorders. It is considered a holistic assessment, meaning it looks at various dimensions of well-being to get a complete picture of health: body, mind, and spirit.
Every person in our comprehensive Clinical Assessment Program will receive a personalized clinical interview with one of Origins’ licensed psychologists through Origins Center for Brain Recovery. This interview, conducted as a conversation between a psychologist and the patient, can help the professional accurately diagnose mental health or co-occurring disorders. From this interview, subsequent psychological testing (such as the PEPQ, MBMD, or MMPI-2) may be recommended and administered.
During the CAP, we welcome loved ones and referring professionals (such as therapists and doctors) to provide critical insight into the patient’s life. Once a patient gives consent, their primary therapist will reach out and help “connect the dots” to get a complete picture of their case. Our licensed family therapists will also communicate with families to gather further information via screening.
Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which a therapist treats a small group of patients together. When offered as a component of integrated treatment, group therapy allows patients to explore aspects of interpersonal relationships while creating an atmosphere that helps a person identify their own strengths and weaknesses.
A psychoeducational group is a specific type of group therapy that focuses on educating patients about their disorders, such as substance use disorders or depression, and how to develop healthy ways of coping with their symptoms. Other groups may explore different components of wellness, such as trauma, grief, smoking cessation, or nutrition.
Each patient in Origins CAP will be assigned a therapist who will meet with them individually during their stay. These sessions are a vital component of the assessment and recommendation process. During this time, the therapists will guide a patient to privately explore issues that may be contributing to (or exacerbated by) substance use or other mental health concerns.
Upon completing the Clinical Assessment Program, we provide an integrated summary of our findings. This includes information from Origins’ skilled multidisciplinary team—from doctors and therapists to psychologists and support staff.
Along with an integrated summary of our clinical findings, we also provide a well-crafted treatment plan that considers the various options available for the person’s wellness and recovery. In some instances, continuing care may include a recommendation to a residential treatment facility. In others, it may be medical or psychiatric care, trauma therapy, or ongoing counseling. Every treatment plan is individualized and guided by sophisticated medical and clinical assessments.
A Comprehensive Overview
On or before day nine, patients are presented with all of the treatment team’s results, findings, and recommendations. Clinical and continuing care staff work with the patient and others involved to facilitate the next steps, which may include extending residential treatment or moving to a different level of care. Regardless of the recommendation, we work with you to ensure the smoothest possible transition to whatever level of care you need.
Our admissions team is available 24/7. Call us at 561-841-1296.
Contact Us
Call or send us a message to begin your journey to wellness today.
If you or someone you love has a substance use or mental health disorder, Origins Behavioral HealthCare can help. We will work alongside you to provide the most comprehensive treatment available.
