Look Inside Young Adult Road Map

2
Guiding Star Point Two: Learn System Basics
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Even if a behavioral
health problem disturbs
or upsets someone very
much, an emergency
room or psychiatric
hospital may not be
the right choice.
Where to Get Behavioral (Mental) Health Care
If you are having a behavioral health problem, what you do next will depend on THREE
considerations. (If someone is helping you, you can show them this information.) These
considerations are:
1. What is Medically NECESSARY?
2. What is AVAILABLE in your area?
3. What is COVERED by your insurance plan?
(See the glossary for the definition of behavioral health, also called mental health.)
1. What is Medically NECESSARY?
Different types of behavioral health problems are treated in different ways. Not every
problem—even disturbing issues that may upset you very much—requires a trip to the
emergency room or psychiatric hospital. In fact, this may be the wrong choice for getting
the services you need. Medically necessary are two very important key words that mean
the services are required to treat your symptoms.
Types of behavioral health services are grouped in 12 major treatment categories. This is
called the continuum of care.
Office or outpatient clinic
Visits are usually 30-60 minutes. The number of visits per month depends on the patient’s
needs.
Intensive case management
Specially trained individuals coordinate or provide psychiatric, financial, legal, and
medical services to help the adolescent or young adult live successfully at home and in
the community.
Home-based treatment services
A team of specially trained staff go into a home and develop a treatment program to help
the youth and family or young adult.
Family support services
These services, such as parent training, parent support group, etc., help families care for
their youth or young adult.
Day treatment program
This intensive treatment program provides psychiatric treatment with special education
for school age youth and may provide treatment with other programming for young adults.
Partial hospitalization (day hospital)
This type of hospitalization provides all the treatment services of a psychiatric hospital,
but the patients go home each evening.
Emergency/crisis services
24-hour-per-day services are available for emergencies (for example, hospital emergency
room, mobile crisis team).
Respite care services
A patient stays briefly away from home with specially trained individuals.