Transitional Living
Inpatient treatment for psychiatric and substance use disorders is often brief – too brief. Patients may not receive all the treatment they need to fully prepare them to return to their communities.
At Silver Hill Hospital there is a big difference. Here, adult patients 18 years and older can move from an acute-care, inpatient setting to a more home-like residential environment where they continue to receive the highly structured, hospital-based treatment they need. Silver Hill Hospital’s Transitional Living Programs are designed to help patients continue their recovery process until they are ready to return home for further community-based treatment.
Because patients live at Silver Hill Hospital for their entire hospital-based treatment, our continuum of care ensures that the treatment plan for each patient can be based on the level of care they need and the amount of time they need it, with enough flexibility to adjust the plan to each patient’s progress.
Transitions within the hospital can be planned in advance and the timing of transitions can be adjusted as needed. There is only one hospital staff and one hospital record for the patient’s entire stay, greatly facilitating communication. At times, a change in the patient’s course may require a brief return to an inpatient level of care, after which the patient resumes the Transitional Living Program.
Transitional Living – Treatment Programs
Silver Hill Hospital’s Transitional Living is different from inpatient care. During inpatient hospitalization, the emphasis is on diagnostic evaluation and initial treatment. It is directed toward symptom remission and stabilization. Inpatient care is necessarily more medically oriented, with a high intensity of nursing and psychiatric supervision.
In our Transitional Living Programs patients focus much more on developing a psychological understanding of their illness. They also obtain factual information about their particular
illness(es) and develop new behavioral skills to manage their recovery process. Accordingly, the programs are staffed with more therapists and fewer doctors and nurses. The programs are intensive and require substantial commitment from those who participate.
Because patients have different clinical needs we have a range of different Transitional Living Programs. There are programs for patients that address:
Transitional Living – Admissions
Some patients enter our Transitional Living Programs from inpatient programs at Silver Hill. Others are admitted from inpatient programs at other hospitals. And still others are admitted directly from the community. When a patient requests admission or is referred for admission our evaluation team will determine for each patient whether Transitional Living is the appropriate level of care for his/her phase of recovery.
Transitional Living – Family Program
At Silver Hill Hospital, we recognize that the entire family can be affected when one family member suffers from a mental illness and/or becomes addicted to a drug or alcohol. The new Transitional Living Family Program will assist family members to regain stability in their lives and develop concrete coping strategies.
This four-day program is conducted Saturday through Tuesday, from 8:30am – 4:30pm. The first two days of the program are for family members only and include education regarding a review of the assessment and diagnosis of addictions and mood disorders, treatments, relapse prevention and aftercare strategies. Groups to explore individual experiences, to dialogue with other families in similar situations and to provide opportunities for personal goal setting and reflection are an integral part of this program.
The last two days of the program are conducted with the patient and family members working together on family dynamics, communication and conflict resolution. Information on the neurobiology of addiction and mood disorders, medication management and discharge planning will also be included.
Family members are strongly urged to participate in this valuable program. There is no additional cost for the Transitional Living Family Program (for up to two family members). For more information, contact Kathleen Thompson, LCSW, Family Program Manager at (203) 801-3418 or by Email.
Transitional Living – Length of Stay
The length of Transitional Living Programs is determined by each patient's individual treatment plan. The minimum stay for the Transitional Living Program is 28 days for patients transferred from the inpatient units of Silver Hill Hospital. Patients seeking admission from the community or other facilities may require a brief stay in an observation bed on the inpatient service prior to placement in a transitional residence.
Transitional Living – Insurance Coverage
The Transitional Living program is typically not covered by health insurance plans. Although your policy may be different, this program is primarily a direct expense for most patients or their families. Many insurance policies will cover a small portion. Our staff will help you to determine whether you may have benefits that will allow coverage for this program and, if you do, we will seek authorization from your insurance company to use your benefit. |
