Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Start rebuilding your personal life and mending important family ties with outpatient recovery. IOP establishes a foundation for long-term recovery support in the local community while still maintaining patients’ independence in their work/home life. Our intensive outpatient drug and alcohol rehab program provides evidence-based (proven) treatment from experienced licensed clinicians and certified addiction counselors.
While in IOP, your personal circumstances are considered in establishing a care specific plan unique to your own individual needs and preferences. To accommodate varying work schedules, group sessions are offered twice daily, mornings, and evenings, five days a week for six weeks. At that time, clients transition to a one-year aftercare program which meets once weekly for no extra charge. Throughout the program, clients learn a range of valuable recovery skills in intensive outpatient treatment. These include:
Coping with alcohol and drug cravings
Coping with other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder
Practicing effective communication and improving relationships with loved ones
Identifying ways to improve trust
Finding healthy ways to reduce and cope with stress
Identifying triggers and learning healthy ways to deal with them
Improving decision-making abilities
Improving self-esteem
Learning about medications that can support long-term recovery
Improving overall health and wellness
Learning relapse prevention techniques
Our most popular and most effective program consists of 30 sessions, 3 hours each (mornings or nights), over a 6-week period (usually Monday through Friday). IOP is the level of care that works best for most people most of the time, although some may need inpatient detox and stabilization prior to enrollment. IOP is designed to accommodate work and family life.
Recovery involves the whole family and/or social support system, therefore we offer a weekly Family Workshop. This family/peer support group provides guidance and addiction education to those affected by addiction. Family workshops are offered at no extra charge and meet on Tuesdays, from 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Long-term sobriety requires ongoing treatment, accountability and a strong support network. In our IOP, clients develop the skills and relationships needed to sustain recovery from alcohol and other drug use while keeping up with job, school, and family commitments.
If the client has medical insurance that covers substance abuse treatment, the client is only responsible for co-pays and deductibles. If not, Steppingstones has self-pay options which most people find affordable (on this website, click on FAQS, then click Financing & Insurance).
Guarantee
Steppingstones is confident of its program effectiveness and offers a guarantee to all clients! If a relapse occurs within one year of discharge, Steppingstones offers at no charge a one-week refresher program to focus on relapse prevention, provided that treatment was completed and discharge recommendations were followed as mutually agreed upon! We know of no other facility which backs its program with such a warranty!
Aftercare
Statistics prove that recovery from substance abuse is a long-term process, therefore Steppingstones is committed to maintaining close relationships with its clients for a year after discharge from treatment by offering once-weekly attendance for NO EXTRA CHARGE! Commitment to our clients is lifelong.
Outpatient Counseling
Outpatient Counseling
Steppingstones offers treatment for concerns unrelated to addiction such as post-partum depression, mood stabilization, adjustment issues, bipolar disorder, anxiety, marital or relationship problems; Steppingstones employs several licensed counselors who provide individual counseling sessions on these issues and many more. Most insurance plans cover this service.
When both a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue exist (such as depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety) it is called a Co-Occurring Disorder or Dual Diagnosis. Because there are many combinations of disorders that can occur, the symptoms of dual diagnosis vary widely.
A Co-Occurring Disorder is a very broad category; it can range from someone developing mild depression because of binge drinking, to someone’s symptoms of bipolar disorder becoming more severe when that person abuses drugs during periods of mania. Untreated Co-Occurring Disorders can lead to major problems at home and work and in your daily life, so it’s important to seek help.
The best treatment for co-occurring disorders is an integrated approach, where both the substance abuse problem and the mental disorder are treated simultaneously, often lowering costs and creating better outcomes. With proper treatment, support, and self-help strategies, you can reclaim your life. Recovery depends on treating both the addiction and the mental health problem.
Getting sober is only the beginning. Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making wiser decisions when dealing with life’s challenges.
Psychiatric Treatment
You may have already encountered a challenge in trying to find psychiatric help for yourself in the CSRA. While Augusta has trained physicians who specialize in mental health and addiction medicine, people continually face long waiting lists when trying to obtain psychiatric appointments. Steppingstones to Recovery helps reduce the wait time by offering psychiatric appointments in person or via telehealth.
Family Services
All of our staff are fully trained to include your close friends and family member(s) in your treatment; some family members seek services independently of their loved one, and some wish to be a part of your recovery. Recovery involves the whole family and/or social support system, therefore we offer a weekly Family Workshop for all close friends, employers, and family members. This workshop has received numerous accolades over the past 20 years for its ability to educate and teach loved ones how to be supportive without nagging and controlling, with hundreds of parents, spouses, and friends expressing emotional relief after utilizing the principles taught. It meets on Tuesdays, 6 – 7:30 p.m. and is offered at no extra charge for one year or more if needed.
Evaluations
DUI Evaluations
Most states assume that a DUI conviction is evidence of a drinking problem. The purpose of a DUI evaluation is to conduct an initial screening to obtain significant and relevant information from a DUI offender about the nature and extent of the use of alcohol or other drugs.
Before returning driving privileges to someone convicted of driving under the influence, most states require that drivers undergo an evaluation to determine the extent their lives are affected by alcohol consumption and if their drinking behavior is considered alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. The evaluator then determines if the offender requires additional education or treatment.
Depending on the driver's evaluation, the required treatment can range from attending a number of support group meetings, outpatient counseling or therapy sessions, or even inpatient detoxification and/or a residential rehabilitation and treatment facility.
Steppingstones employs two Department of Community Health approved Clinical Evaluators.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Substance abuse evaluations consistent with NRC regulations are provided by a Substance Abuse Expert (SAE) with years of experience.
Court Evaluations
The criminal justice system frequently requires that a mental health or substance abuse evaluation be completed to determine the extent of any of these issues. A meaningful intervention can often help the individual experience positive outcomes.
When a substance abuse evaluation is requested by a judge, probation officer, lawyer, employer, or an individual, we conduct a formal assessment which includes the following as needed:
· Clinical Interview
· Standardized Diagnostic Testing
· Collateral Interviews
· Review of Previous Reports
· Written Report with Recommendations
· Court Appearances
Mental Health Evaluations
A mental health evaluation gives your doctor an overall picture of how well you feel emotionally and how well you are able to think, reason, and remember (cognitive functioning). Your doctor will ask you questions and examine you. You might answer some of the doctor's questions in writing. Your doctor will pay attention to how you look and your mood, behavior, thinking, reasoning, memory, and ability to express yourself. Your doctor will also ask questions about how you get along with other people, including your family and friends. Sometimes the assessment includes lab tests, such as blood or urine tests.
A mental health evaluation can help diagnose:
· Mental health problems, such as anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, bipolar disorders, eating disorders, and many others.
· Developmental problems, such as learning disabilities, intellectual disability, and autism.
· Substance abuse, including alcohol and drug abuse and dependence.
· Diseases of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy.
· Other problems, such as thyroid disease and brain tumors.
