Addiction treatment should be as unique as the individual who needs it. How a substance use disorder should be treated depends not only on the substance in question but also on the individual and the contributing factors of their addiction. Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches offers various treatment settings for drug and alcohol abuse that allow us to provide our patients with the individualized and comprehensive care that they need and deserve. These substance abuse levels of care include medical detox, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment, and residential addiction treatment to treat addictions of all severities.
What are the ASAM 5 Levels of Care?
A framework for evaluating and matching people with suitable addiction treatment services is provided by the ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) Criteria, which have been developed for five levels of care. Based on the individual’s assessment, these levels of care are used to determine the kind and intensity of services required. The ASAM levels of care are:
- Level 0.5 – Early Intervention:
- Services for people who are at risk of developing substance use disorders or who are already experiencing the early stages of such disorders are provided at this level.
- To stop substance use disorders from getting worse, it focuses on educating people, increasing awareness, and offering quick interventions.
- Level 1 – Outpatient Services:
- At this level, group therapy, education, and counseling are offered as outpatient services.
- It is appropriate for people with mild to moderate drug use disorders who don’t need round-the-clock care but can stay abstinent with assistance.
- Level 2 – Intensive Outpatient/Partial Hospitalization:
- This level offers comprehensive and organized treatment, with more intensive services than outpatient care.
- It is appropriate for people with moderate-to-severe drug use disorders who don’t need round-the-clock care but still need more structure and support.
- Level 3 – Residential/Inpatient Services:
- In a controlled and encouraging setting, residential or inpatient services offer round-the-clock medical attention.
- For those who have not responded to lower levels of care or for those with severe substance use disorders, it is appropriate.
- Level 4 – Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient Services:
- At this level, patients receive acute care in a setting with highly specialized and medically managed services.
- It is appropriate for people who need intensive medical and nursing care due to serious medical problems, psychiatric problems or severe substance use disorders.
The ASAM levels are part of a continuum, and a patient may move between them in response to their development and evolving clinical requirements. The ASAM Criteria aids in directing care providers as they determine the best degree of care for a patient at a particular stage of their recovery process.
Levels of Care for Substance Abuse Treatment at BHOPB
Also referred to as a continuum of addiction treatment, our levels of addiction treatment in Florida are designed in a hierarchy organized according to the intensity of care. The purpose of this system is to have clients gradually transition to less intensive care as they recover. For instance, a person with a severe opioid use disorder would transition to residential treatment after completing medical detox and being medically stable.
Below is more on how each of our addiction treatment levels of care work and the roles they play in the addiction continuum in rehab.
Medically Supervised Detox
Patients who receive treatment with us most often start at our first addiction level of care: medically monitored detox. Otherwise referred to as a medically assisted detox, this is a crucial step in the recovery process, as it addresses severe withdrawals and cravings. At this time, patients are supervised around the clock as they’re slowly weaned off of drugs and alcohol in a safe, medical setting. The medical staff at our Palm Beach County rehab administers detox medications to patients in our detox programs (as needed) to alleviate uncomfortable and painful withdrawals as well as to manage any additional symptoms that might otherwise lead to health complications.
Residential Treatment Program
Once they’ve completed drug or alcohol detox and are deemed medically stable, patients may then move on to residential addiction treatment. Otherwise referred to as inpatient treatment, this addiction level of care provides 24-hour care to help patients achieve and maintain their sobriety. Patients in our residential rehab program live at our facility for the duration of their programs to avoid outside distractions and temptations that can hinder their recovery.
This program utilizes a variety of addiction therapy modalities to ensure clients change their thinking and behavioral patterns to better foster sobriety. These services include individual and group therapy, family therapy, relapse prevention skill development, and more.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Our different substance abuse levels of care also include our partial hospitalization program in Florida, which is the next level down from residential treatment. PHP drug treatment includes attending therapy sessions at the facility during the day for several days a week. The purpose of PHP is to help patients continue receiving full-time addiction treatment while simultaneously transitioning to their everyday lives. Patients in our partial hospitalization program may continue to meet with a psychiatrist or counselors regularly for medical evaluation and management. They may also participate in individual therapy sessions with their primary clinicians weekly and group therapy daily to manage their progress.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
The lowest level of care at our Lake Worth drug rehab is our intensive outpatient program (IOP). IOP treatment is designed to help patients focus on their recovery goals and develop the skills they’ll need to sustain their sobriety after rehab. Unlike our other levels of drug addiction treatment, our IOP takes a more flexible approach to treating patients.
Patients in our IOP are scheduled to participate in therapy for a minimum of 9 hours per week so they can work with our licensed therapists to learn how to combat negative thinking. Scheduling and the number of these sessions are adaptable to fit each patient’s needs. IOP is beneficial to clients who have families to care for and careers to get back to.
All of our substance abuse levels of care are designed to meet people in whatever stage of addiction recovery they’re in. The level of treatment a patient is placed in depends on their clinical assessments, plus whether they require medication-assisted care and their treatment progress. This ensures that patients are never at too slow or too quick of a pace regarding their care.
