| Definitions of Treatment Services |
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ASL or other assistance for hearing impaired- Hearing-impaired individuals face many challenges in their lives. One of the biggest hurdles often confronted by this portion of the population is the inability to communicate with hearing individuals. This can be especially challenging when it comes to seeking therapy, especially in a world where a limited number of people in the mental health field have taken it upon themselves to learn how to communicate with the deaf and hearing-impaired.
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Criminal justice clients- Clients within the criminal justice system sometimes need substance abuse treatment. There are specific steps and guidelines that need to be followed to have a criminal justice client admitted into a substance abuse treatment program. The first step is to determine eligibility. This requires that a panel decide which criminal justice clients need substance abuse treatment, and how much and what type of treatment is needed.
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DUI/DWI offenders- Drunk driving is a serious offense and the consequences of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are become quite severe. According to the state in which the offense is committed, DUI/DWI offenders can get off with just a warning, may lose their driver’s license, or might even serve time in prison.
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Gay and Lesbian- It’s difficult to be gay in a straight world, so it’s no wonder that so many individuals who deem themselves to be gay or are uncertain about their sexuality search for counselors that offer gay and lesbian therapy.
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Medicare- In the United States, politicians debated for decades on how to best provide a nationwide health insurance program for its elderly citizens. Though discussion began as early as 1912 and the first health insurance bill was introduced to congress in 1935, it wasn’t until 1965 that President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a bill to establish what we now know as Medicare.
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Men- Research shows that men are given more opportunity than women to use drugs, but equal numbers of men and women are likely to begin drug use. Men use different types of drugs than women. Men are more likely to abuse alcohol, and marijuana.
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Mental health services- The surgeon general definition of mental health is: “The successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity; from early childhood until late life, mental health is the springboard of thinking and communication skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self esteem.” Mental health services are any service that helps a person obtain these abilities.
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Military insurance (e.g., VA, TRICARE)- The United States military has always assumed the important task of taking care of its own by providing military insurance for health care purposes for active-duty members as well as veterans. Through enrollment in these programs, some similar to private health insurance policies, members or former members of the armed forces are guaranteed low-cost medical care.
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Mix of mental health and substance abuse services- A study done in 2002 found that there were five million adults who had a serious mental illness, and had substance abuse problems. Almost 30 percent of all adults with serious mental health illnesses also use drugs. Other statistics show that 53 percent of substance abusers also have at least one mental illness.
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Outpatient- Outpatient drug rehabilitation means that a person does not live in the facility for treatment, but come to the facility for classes, visits with specialists or group meetings. Outpatient drug rehabilitation centers are more long-term and patients can attend programs for as long as needed. A variety of techniques and program intensity levels are used to achieve this goal.
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Payment assistance- The growing costs of mental health care are staggering. Statistics show that a large portion of mentally ill individuals who need help aren’t getting it due to the costs involved with therapy or counseling. For that reason, many never even step foot into a hospital, mental health clinic, or therapist’s office, even though there are a number of options available for payment and payment assistance.
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Persons with co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders- Quite often, individuals suffering from substance abuse are also afflicted with some type of mental illness. In the mental health community, these simultaneously occurring illnesses have come to be known as co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders.
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Persons with HIV/AIDS- Thanks to an increasing number of successful drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS, persons with the disease are living longer, more productive lives. Nevertheless, those who are faced with a life-threatening illness such as this, regardless of improved medical treatment, still require the emotional support that only therapy can provide.
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Pregnant/postpartum women- Depression affects millions of pregnant and postpartum women each year, regardless of race, ethnic background, color, or social standing. Recently, controversy over the treatment of these women has come into the forefront but most professionals will admit that the mental illnesses that present themselves during and after pregnancy deserve immediate attention.
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Private health insurance- Securing private health insurance can be confusing, especially if you’re not covered by your employer or if the employer offers a number of options from which to choose. Determining which plans are best for you and/or your family is difficult.
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Seniors/older adults- The senior population is the fastest growing in the country, thanks to the baby boom of the post-World War II era and modern technology which allows us to enjoy longer and more fulfilling lives. Still, facts show that a large portion of seniors or older adults suffer from various mental health disorders that should be treated through the use of professional counseling or therapy. However, many view the use of professional therapy as a crutch or weakness, so mental health problems continue to grow in great numbers.
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Sliding fee scale (Fee is based on income and other factors.)- For many individuals who suffer mental health problems, the cost of receiving proper counseling or therapy prohibits them from seeking the help that they so greatly need. Throughout the past several decades, the cost of mental health treatment has skyrocketed and more and more individuals suffer from lack of proper therapy.
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Substance abuse treatment- Substance abuse treatment is often individualized to each patient, but there are a few steps that each patient needs to take to become drug free. The first of these steps in recognizing the problem. Denial used to be mistakenly believed to be part of the drug addiction symptoms, but recent research is showing it is not. People trying to help a person accept that they have a substance abuse problem need to show empathy, and respect.
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Substance abuse treatment services- Substance abuse is seen by most physicians and mental health professionals as a long-term illness and so many substance abuse treatment services are designed to try and find the best way to help someone cope. The people that are considered to have substance use disorder are those who can not stop and whose use is compulsive. A person’s genetics, mental health, and stress levels all have a role in determining if a person has substance use disorder. Substance abuse actually changes the brain, and these changes remain in effect for a long time.
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Women- Substance abuse among women is different than in men, and most often has multiple contributing factors, such as poverty, psychosocial, mental health, history of abuse and trauma, and involvement in abusive relationships. Because of these numerous factors that need to be addressed to help a woman become drug free, substance abuse centers specifically for women are becoming more prevalent, and existing substance abuse centers are changing their treatment approaches to better help women get rid of their addictions.
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By:Jane Posted: Oct 09 2008 09:19:32 AM