Adult MH Services & Programs 

Outpatient Mental Health Services

Advantage Behavioral Health Systems provides outpatient mental health in several locations throughout our service area. We offer short-term individual & group counseling and psychiatric services that support the recovery process of our consumers and enhance their ability to participate fully and successfully in their personal and professional lives.

Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT)

This service is available to our clients who meet the following admission criteria: 

• Clients with a severe, persistent mental illness seriously impairing functioning in community living.

• Clients with significant functional impairments as demonstrated by at least one of the following: A) inability to consistently perform the range of practical daily living tasks required for basic adult functioning, i.e. employment or homemaker roles B) inability to maintain a safe living situation.

• Clients who are unable to participate in traditional office-based services because of one or more of the following factors: A) High use of psychiatric hospitals (2 or more in the last 12 months) and/or psychiatric emergency services B) Persistent and recurrent severe major symptoms (e.g. psychotic, affective, suicidal) C) Co-existing substances use disorder (more than 6 months) D) High risk/recent history of criminal justice involvement, E) Inability to meet basic survival needs or residing in substandard housing, homeless, or imminent risk of becoming homeless F) Persons residing in inpatient or institutional settings who could live more independently in the community with intensive services available.
  

• Attempts to provide less intensive services have not been effective. Less extensive services have not been adequate to maintain the person in the community.

• ACT cannot serve clients who do not have a primary DSM-IV Axis 1 diagnosis.

Community Support Individual (CSI)

Community-based services providing community support services to those clients needing coordination of services, daily living skill development/enhancement and/or community coping skill development/enhancement. Clients may have:

• Mental health issues

• Substance abuse issues

• MH/SA issues

• MH/MR issues

• DSM–IV Diagnosis

• Level of functioning does not preclude Outpatient Services

• The specific impairments for which the person needs assistance should be identified and outlined in the ISP

• Client agrees to method, orientation and service goals

At least one of the following needs may be present:

• May need assistance in developing or maintaining skills in order to develop, maintain and or/enhancing social supports or other community skills

• May need assistance with daily living skills including coordination to gain access to necessary rehabilitative and medical services

• Assessment must show daily living skill deficits and community living skills deficits

• We cannot serve clients who do not have a primary DSM-IV Axis 1 diagnosis.

Adult Day Programs

• Elbert Psychosocial Rehab – focuses on illness management, medication skills and the clients’ facilitation of their own recovery.

     Criteria:

1. Diagnosis must be SPMI (Severe & Persistent Mental Illness)
2. Client is able to engage in activities focusing on his/her mental illness and medications
3. Client is not functional in essential life skills such as daily living skills, social skills, vocational/academic skills, and/or community/family integration, AND
4. Needs frequent assistance to obtain and use community resources
5. There is reasonable expectation that the client’s needs will improve within 12 months
6. The client cannot be effectively treated at a lower level of care
   

• Peer Supports - focuses on activities developed and implemented by those living with mental illness in order to increase their own self-sufficiency and self-advocacy.

     Criteria: 

1. Diagnosis must be SPMI
2. Client is able to engage in activities focusing on self-sufficiency & self advocacy
3. Client is able to participate in decision- making and operation of a mutual support program
4. Client is able to benefit from peer modeling and self-advocacy skills in order to take increased responsibility for himself/herself
5. There is reasonable expectation that the client’s needs will improve within 1 year
6. The client cannot be effectively treated at a lower level of care
7. The client needs peer supports to maintain daily living skills
   

COPE (Community Outreach, Prevention and Education)

The Cope Program offers a variety of services designed to educate persons about mental illness and the services provided by Advantage Behavioral Health Systems. One feature is a support group for people with a mental illness diagnosis and a group for families who have loved ones with a mental illness. The main goal of these groups is education and relapse prevention, as well as to improve individuals’ quality of life. These groups are open to all persons in the community.

• The Cope Program is also responsible for the dissemination of mental health educational resources to hospitals, community organizations, support groups, schools, all programs within the ABHS, and local physicians. Educational presentations are also made at different support groups, churches and schools.

• The Global Arts Program is another COPE project that gives clients an opportunity to create artwork while learning about various cultures throughout the world.

Developmental Disabilities Services

Developmental Disabilities Service Centers

There are six Developmental Disabilities Service Centers within our ten-county area. These centers offer community employment services, which include evaluation, training and support for unsubsidized community employment. Organizational employment services are offered through facility-based and crew training experiences. Family support services include respite care, training, medical supply and services. Medicaid Waiver Services for the development, acquisition, enhancement or maintenance of skills that enhance the ability of the customer to function independently in the home or community.

Community Employment Program

Community Employment

Our Community Employment program assists ABHS clients in preparing for, obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. In order to enroll in our Community Employment program, clients must meet the following criteria:

• Has a documented mental health, mental retardation, or substance abuse diagnosis;

• He/she wants a job;

• He/she will participate in the assessment and service planning process to determine his/her strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences.

Residential Services Programs

Residential Services

Our Residential Services offers clients with both MH and MR diagnoses, who meet appropriate criteria, assistance with housing and with learning how to care for oneself on a daily basis. In order to meet the criteria for Residential Services, the client must have either:

1. A diagnosis of chronic mental illness or a developmental disability that interferes with his/her maintaining a stable living arrangement
2. Or a diagnosis of chronic mental illness or developmental disability and a history or numerous and/or long-term hospitalizations
   

• Homeless Housing Programs:

1. Transitional Home – This is a 5-person home for homeless males who have severe mental illness. An individual may reside for up to 24 months and will then be assisted in obtaining permanent housing.
2. Shelter + Care – This is a permanent housing program for homeless individuals who have severe mental illness, and it consists of 15 single units that are subsidized by HUD (Housing & Urban Development.) Individuals receive services to meet identified needs.

• Family Support & Respite – Individuals with developmental disabilities who reside in their natural homes may receive assistance with purchasing specialized medical supplies, equipment, environmental modifications, vehicle adaptation, and other services as determined by client and family need. Individuals may receive respite services on a planned and/or emergency basis.
  

Child & Adolescent Services & Programs

C&A Services

Our agency’s Child & Adolescent services are available to children and adole scents (under age 18) with a MH diagnosis and/or substance abuse diagnosis and who meet Severely Emotionally Disturbed criteria. The services include:

• Clinic-Based Outpatient Programs – In each of our clinics, we have clinicians who specialize in the treatment of children and adolescents. We also offer psychiatric services at each of our clinics. Our outpatient programs use a team approach, including a clinic supervisor/lead therapist, an operations manager, a child psychiatrist, a nurse, therapists and support staff. Our staff is multidisciplinary and represents the areas of psychiatry, social work, psychology, and community counseling. We focus primarily on direct service with the child and family and on strengthening links with community resources to better serve our clients. After-hours appointments are available in most locations, and walk-ins are always welcome.

• Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment (Inner Light)—intense after-school program designed to address substance abuse issues. The program targets adolescents (age 14 to 17) who have been identified as “at risk” for substance abuse problems. The program is divided into two levels. Level I meets once per week for 1 ½ hours. Level II meets three times per week, three hours per day. The program is also divided into two components: psycho-education and treatment. Length of stay is open-ended.
  

• C&A Community Support Individual—community support services are available to those clients needing coordination of services, daily living skill development/enhancement, and/or community coping skill development/enhancement. Children and adolescents meeting criteria for CSI as defined above will be served by the CSI program in their county clinic, unless they meet the following criteria:

• Children and adolescents with diagnoses/behaviors meeting criteria for the severely emotionally disturbed services AND who are:

1. Enrolled in the C&A Substance Abuse Day Program, Inner Light Level Two, and also has a primary MH diagnosis
2. Are currently in a MATCH placement, or have recently returned to the community from a MATCH placement and are transitioning back into services here
   

Addictive Disease Services

Addictive Disease Outpatient Services

Alcohol and Other Drug Outpatient Services (A&OD) offers American Society of Addictive Medicine (ASAM) Level I treatment to adults 18 and over. Level I criteria for treatment is less than nine hours per week. At each site, separate programs are offered for customers who enter services voluntarily or those for whom the courts or other community services agencies mandate services. The voluntary program consists of a diagnostic assessment, nursing assessment, drug screens, a psychiatric medical evaluation, optional/individual and/or family therapy and five hours of group therapy a week for a minimum of eight weeks. The mandated program consists of a diagnostic assessment, nursing assessment, drug screens, a psychiatric medical evaluation, optional/individual and/or family therapy and three hours of group therapy a week for a minimum of seventeen weeks.

The Risk Reduction Program is exactly the same as every other Risk Reduction Program in the State of Georgia and is sanctioned and certified by the Departments of Human Resources and Public Safety in Atlanta. It is educational in nature and is designed to reduce high risk drinking and drug behavior (including DUI and Drug Use). Offenders who have license sanctions and who must complete the Risk Reduction Program may have their driver's license reinstated after having all other sanctions met and after completing this program. The program consists of a computerized assessment and a 20-hour education/intervention class. The classes emphasize that alcoholism and drug addiction are lifestyle-related health problems and help the student realize that biological as well as social and psychological factors contribute to the development of high risk use and a chemically-dependent lifestyle. Referrals to Clinical Evaluators are available for clients who have had two DUI's in a five-year period.

The Community Intervention Program is meant to be an early intervention program with anyone who receives any kind of alcohol or other drug offense, or who has some problems in his or her life due to the use or abuse of these drugs. It is available to any agency, attorney, or provider that deems it appropriate to refer its client s for services.
Components of the Community Intervention portion of the program include a computerized assessment and an entrance interview to determine appropriate recommendations. Additionally available to Community Intervention clients is an exit interview if deemed necessary and various referral sources. Clients who have both Risk Reduction and other related problems can complete only one assessment and this assessment can be used for the interview.

Alcohol/Drug Prevention Program
The mission statement of the Alcohol/Drug prevention program is to promote healthy lifestyles and to reduce the risk for alcohol and other drug related problems. This program works to educate parents on alcohol and has educated over one thousand parents through schools, churches, housing projects and other community groups and continues to do so on a regular basis. Another program offered is assisting schools with writing drug- free grants and offers classes on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs education to classes upon request in both regular school settings and alternative settings. The Alcohol/Drug Prevention Program assisted with the implementation of Georgia’s first research-based, risk-reduction program for students.

Women’s Services Day Program & Recovery Residence
Women’s Services provides Level I Outpatient and Level II.3 Day Treatment Services. Residential and Detox needs are provided by Women’s Services through collaboration and treatment planning with other components of Alcohol and Other Drug Services. Women’s Services is a holistic community program which seeks to provide the finest, most compassionate clinical services for women suffering with addictive diseases and for their families, who also suffer. It is Women’s Services’ mission to create a center for women that will provide a comprehensive array of support services enhancing women’s lives and their success at recovery. Women’s Services also seeks to develop collaboration with other resources within the larger community of supports available to women to better assist in realizing individual goals.

Early Head Start through Women’s Services Program
The Early Head Start program provides the same types of outpatient counseling services that our Child & Adolescent program, except these services are provided on site to those families who are enrolled in Early Head Start.

Community Stabilization Unit
Those individuals assessed as needing medical detoxification or stabilization are referred to the Community Stabilization Unit (CSU). The CSU assists these individuals in all aspects of their lives in order to help the individual live in the least intrusive environment possible. Services include: clinical intervention, medical assessment and linkage, medication administration, case management, residential supports, leisure skill development, education, crisis intervention and assertive outreach.

A&OD Day Services (formerly Intensive Treatment Program or ITP)
Customers requiring more intensive outpatient or residential treatment are referred to Day Services. The ITP (ASAM Level II and II.5) consists of three sub- levels of care: Intensive Treatment Program (day), Intensive Outpatient Program, and Intensive Program with Residential Component.