Outpatient Program

Philosophy of Program

The Outpatient Program is designed to serve individuals who are experiencing difficulties and impaired functioning in coping with life's challenges.

Services are provided to support the recovery and/or stabilization of individuals. Through service provision, symptoms will be reduced and individuals will experience an improvement in level of functioning in their environment. The program strives to continually improve service provision in order that individuals served experience an enhanced quality of life.

Program Description

The Outpatient Program, consisting of counseling, crisis intervention, and psychiatric services, operates from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from the Mental Health Center. However, for individuals requiring alternative hours/days, staff can provide arrangements for evening or Saturday services. Arrangements can also be made for services at alternative locations.

Individuals with a physical disability will have services provided at an alternative site that is accessible. The agency endeavors to accommodate individuals with special needs, or refers to providers equipped to meet their needs.

Admission Criteria

Individuals seeking services from the Brown County Mental Health Center shall meet the following admission criteria:

• over the age of three
• determined to be eligible for services
  

Exclusionary criteria includes:

• requires services that are not available to meet the needs of the individual
  

The Clinical Director is responsible for providing the final determination for eligibility. Individuals determined ineligible will be provided with a referral to alternative services.

Discharge

Discharge criteria has been established consisting of the following:

1. Individual request
2. Completion of treatment
3. Lack of individual participation
4. Individual requires level or type of service not provided
5. Non-compliance with agency policies

COUNSELING SERVICES

Individual, family or group counseling sessions provide a supportive environment to cope with life’s challenges. For more complex issues, therapy techniques are utilized to modify adaptive functioning.

CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES

Crisis Intervention services are provided immediately upon contact to individuals experiencing a major life crisis and/or a rapid decrease in functioning. Individuals are evaluated by clinical staff to determine whether crisis counseling or a referral for psychiatric hospitalization is required. After-hour crisis intervention services may be accessed by contacting the Brown County Sheriff's Department. The agency has implemented a pager system in which all clinical staff rotate on a weekly basis to respond to any pages received from the sheriff’s office.

PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES

Psychiatric services are provided to individuals diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder to evaluate symptoms and monitor prescribed psychotropic medications. Psychiatric consultations are provided weekly by a licensed psychiatrist. In addition, clinical staff can provide monitoring and assistance between consultations.