Beacon for FamiliesNavigating Continuing Care
Multiple options exist for continuing mental health care after an ER visit or hospitalization. The young adult’s treatment team or hospital social worker may help decide and coordinate the next steps. If these options are not being discussed, ask.
Increase support with the existing outpatient treatment teamIt may be worth reevaluating whether the existing treatment team is sufficient, given the latest crisis.
In some situations, the young adult’s needs may have increased beyond the scope of their current mental health providers. In that case, it's more appropriate to transition to new ones.
For patients with an existing psychiatrist and therapist who are still a good fit, sometimes it's enough to temporarily increase the frequency of visits in the weeks following a hospitalization. Its a vulnerable time, and extra support is useful. Increasing care with the existing team may cause less disruption to daily routines compared to other post-hospitalization options, as long as it’s clinically in the young adult's best interest.
Attend a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)PHPs and IOPs are both outpatient mental health and addiction recovery programs.
They provide structured treatment while the patient lives at home, at another caregiver’s home, or in supportive housing. PHP programs involve more hours and days per week than IOP programs. Similar in scope, both PHPs and IOPs typically include group therapy, individual therapy, skill-building, psychiatry visits, and medication management. Most of these programs are connected to hospitals, but availability varies.
Attend a Residential Treatment programLess common, but sometimes young adults need a high level of support after a hospitalization.
Residential programs typically offer 24/7 care, therapy, supervision, and medical support. These programs vary widely in approach, length, quality, cost, insurance coverage, and admission requirements.
Care TransitionsPlanning from one level of care to another, and continuing care in general, may feel fragmented and frustrating.
It's typical to face waitlists, scheduling conflicts, and insurance prior authorizations. Caregivers may need to help make calls, follow up frequently, ask about cancellations, and persistently push for options. While exhausting, being “the squeaky wheel” may sometimes help young adults access care sooner or avoid gaps in support.
Young adults may also have pushback on whether the treatment is a good fit, or agree to one level of care but refuse another. Caregivers may wear many hats in these situations, balancing encouragement to stay in care, coordinating logistics, helping navigate problems that arise, while also respecting the young adult’s agency.