Highlands Community Services
Contact Name: Teresa Viers
Address: 610 Campus Drive, Suite 100, Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: 276-525-1415
Email: [email protected]
Mission and Goals:
We are dedicated to discovering, implementing, and sustaining valuable services that assist our community and those who live in it.
What will you find here? Integrity, respect, hope, genuine empathy, and caring individuals who have a passion for improving lives and discovering possibilities.
Highlands Community Services has provided mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual disability services to the residents of Washington County and Bristol, VA for over forty years.
Services Provided:
Population Characteristics:
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Outpatient Services are designed to provide an array of outpatient services for consumers whose substance abuse or emotional problems have caused significant impairment in social, vocational, educational and/or family functioning but who do not require hospitalization. Outpatient consumers also include those who are in care coordination services with multiple and/or long-term needs but who also may benefit from episodes of outpatient counseling that are focused on specific issues (ie: improving coping/communication skills, attaining sobriety, behavior modification, life skill development) which are crucial to achieving or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Program Services
• Individual, Group and Family Services
Outpatient clinical staff provides mental health and substance abuse services that are designed to provide individuals and their families with solution-focused and recovery-oriented interventions. Services are as follows:
• Comprehensive assessment/diagnostic study
• Individual, group and family counseling
• Case consultation, liaison and coordination with other agencies involved in human service program delivery
• Consultation to industries, groups and organizations
• Referral to other HCBH and community services
The primary model for service delivery will be person-centered, solution-focused therapy.
On intake, consumers will be informed that the primary focus of treatment is to provide them with the skills to problem-solve and establish adequate support within their own resources. Family and/or group therapy may be provided to supplement individual therapy as recommended.
• Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP)
This program service consists of a four evenings per week program for adults and two afternoons per week program for adolescents which includes structured group educational/therapy sessions designed to build a solid foundation for recovery. This phase of the program lasts 10 weeks and utilizes the Matrix treatment model with an additional curriculum component for adults to address concurring mental health and substance use issues. This better addresses the rising percentage of consumers who are struggling with management of a mental health disorder while working toward recovery. A combination of individual, group and family treatment modalities, including creative therapies such as stress management and anger management, are integrated into this component of the program.
An opiate dependency group is also in place to address the needs of those consumers who are interested in Suboxone but who are not appropriate to enter the regular IOP due to their continued usage of opiates. This group meets three nights each week and includes a weekly individual session and care coordination to address the specifics of their pre-recovery status along with assisting them to meet their requirements for consideration in the Suboxone program and transition into the appropriate IOP service.
Social and adaptive skills are enhanced by interaction within the group structure where the client is assisted in changing patterns of behavior which have proven destructive in the past. Group process encourages breakdown of denial, isolation and ego-centricity in clients and reduces manipulative behaviors. Urine drug screens may be conducted for this purpose for consumers enrolled in the intensive program. Contingency management is also utilized in this particular treatment model to enhance motivation and cognitive-behavioral change.
Family group is included on a weekly basis for family members of adult clients in a conjoint session (both consumers and family members present) format. Family involvement is essential to attain knowledge of the addictive process and to learn to deal with their own behavioral/emotional problems as they attempt to make adjustments to the substance abuser’s progressive illness. For adolescent consumers, this service is offered through periodic family counseling sessions.
Consumers are requested to attend AA, Al-Anon or NA in the community, thus encouraging integration into community resources.
The second phase of the program is weekly Aftercare groups. Consumers and families are encouraged to participate for at least six months as they experience a new lifestyle chemically free. Relapse Prevention and Anger Management are offered as a part of the Aftercare continuum. Some consumers are referred directly to aftercare, particularly if they have completed an inpatient program or a similar outpatient program.
Both treatment tracts operate with the same schedule and run concurrently to allow ease of transition from service to service when necessary. They each funnel into the same Family services and Aftercare services to promote enhanced skill development and adjustment.
An additional tract for court ordered individuals has been implemented. It runs three mornings each week, allowing an alternative to the night time schedule and utilizes the same structure as the other IOPs, with an added component to address legal involvements and probation monitoring. Weekly contact with the courts or probation officer is provided to discuss progress, attendance, participation and completion.
• Care Coordination Services (Substance Abuse & Mental Health)
Care Coordination Services for mental health and substance abuse adults are integrated into all phases of treatment. An assessment is reviewed with each consumer with services provided to consumers/families based on their needs. Linkages with other community resources as well as direct case management services are a unique and viable component of these services. Home visits are used as a tool for keeping consumers involved in services, and transportation is available via van within Washington County for consumers and family members who do not have their own means of transportation.
• Medication Assisted Therapy and Care Coordination Services
Buprenorphine (Suboxone) treatment services are provided to opioid-dependent consumers determined to be in need of this treatment. Following an intensive enrollment period of at least three weeks which includes completion of an in-depth evaluation of appropriateness, attendance to IOP services three times per week and a minimum of weekly contact with their care coordinator, buprenorphine services may be recommended if supported by the treatment team. Once the physician offers final approval for program enrollment, buprenorphine therapy will include the following three phases of care:
1. Induction phase—this initial phase of treatment requires close medical supervision and monitoring. Services are to be initiatied on an outpatient basis in an office-based practice. Office-based inductions occur under the care of a physician who is certified to prescribe Buprenorphine medications for the treatment of addiction. HCBH has a service agreement with a certified provider to provide on-site services at the HCBH Main Campus location for office-based inductions. Weekly contact with the physician is required during this phase of treatment.
2. Stabilization phase—this phase of treatment generally occurs following Induction and is generally provided as an outpatient service in through medical/psychiatric supports at the HCBH Main Campus location. In this phase of treatment the consumer’s cravings and withdrawal symptoms have been reduced with few or no side effects. The medication may need to be adjusted until the correct dosage is determined and the consumer is stable. Semi-monthly to monthly contact is required with the physician in this phase of treatment.
3. Maintenance phase—this phase is reached when the consumer is doing well on a steady dose of Buprenorphine. The length of maintenance therapy is determined by the consumer and the physician. Semi-monthly to monthly contact is required with the physician in this phase of treatment All participants in the Medication Assisted Treatment program through HCBH will participate actively in developing an Individualized Services Plan which will include the following services in addition to those previously mentioned: Individual and family counseling services as necessary, Narcotics/Alcoholics Anonymous and other appropriate community involvement, medication compliance, urine screens and relapse prevention services.
Consumer satisfaction and other outcomes will be measured to determine and document treatment efficacy.
• Women’s Services
Services provided specifically for women include an intensive substance abuse program that customizes the services and principles of intensive outpatient to the individual needs and schedules of working and non-working mothers and other women whose needs may not be met in the regular program. Support groups with care coordination are provided on an as-needed basis for both mental health and substance abuse needs. Many of the women have multi-layered problem areas which necessitate networking within the community to assist in problem solving. An agreement with Johnston Memorial Hospital to link pregnant women who have a history of substance abuse or have positive drug screens following delivery with treatment programs has been developed. Referrals for screenings for infants with prenatal substance exposure are made to early Intervention, along with addressing transportation, child care and parenting and medical needs for pregnant or parenting women and their children.
• Restoration to Competency Services
These services are provided to adults who are referred by the criminal justice system after having been judged incompetent to stand trial. Restoration to competency services are provided in conjunction with a court order to assist the individual in learning the aspects of the legal system that are necessary to develop both a factual and rational understanding of the legal process while becoming able to assist their attorney in their own defense. Recommendations are made back to the court and involved attorneys regarding the status of the individual’s competency to stand trial.
The same service listed above for adults is also provided within a separate department for juveniles. However, the Department Director for Outpatient Services also provides supervision for juvenile restoration to competency cases, juvenile competency forensic evaluations and post-restoration evaluations for juveniles both within our catchement area and beyond. These services and evaluations include extensive communication with community providers, DMHMRSAS and the referring judge and related attorneys. They are also provided in conjunction with court orders.
Service Area:
Virginia (Abingdon/Washington County and City of Bristol)
Criteria for Individuals to Receive Services:
Admission Criteria:
Mental Health Admission Criteria:
Individuals who meet the following criteria are appropriate for adult or C&A Mental Health Outpatient Services.
Substance Abuse Admission Criteria:
Individuals who meet the following criteria are appropriate for adult or C&A Substance Abuse Outpatient Services:
Address: 610 Campus Drive, Suite 100, Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: 276-525-1415
Email: [email protected]
Mission and Goals:
We are dedicated to discovering, implementing, and sustaining valuable services that assist our community and those who live in it.
What will you find here? Integrity, respect, hope, genuine empathy, and caring individuals who have a passion for improving lives and discovering possibilities.
Highlands Community Services has provided mental health, substance abuse, and intellectual disability services to the residents of Washington County and Bristol, VA for over forty years.
Services Provided:
Population Characteristics:
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Outpatient Services are designed to provide an array of outpatient services for consumers whose substance abuse or emotional problems have caused significant impairment in social, vocational, educational and/or family functioning but who do not require hospitalization. Outpatient consumers also include those who are in care coordination services with multiple and/or long-term needs but who also may benefit from episodes of outpatient counseling that are focused on specific issues (ie: improving coping/communication skills, attaining sobriety, behavior modification, life skill development) which are crucial to achieving or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Program Services
• Individual, Group and Family Services
Outpatient clinical staff provides mental health and substance abuse services that are designed to provide individuals and their families with solution-focused and recovery-oriented interventions. Services are as follows:
• Comprehensive assessment/diagnostic study
• Individual, group and family counseling
• Case consultation, liaison and coordination with other agencies involved in human service program delivery
• Consultation to industries, groups and organizations
• Referral to other HCBH and community services
The primary model for service delivery will be person-centered, solution-focused therapy.
On intake, consumers will be informed that the primary focus of treatment is to provide them with the skills to problem-solve and establish adequate support within their own resources. Family and/or group therapy may be provided to supplement individual therapy as recommended.
• Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP)
This program service consists of a four evenings per week program for adults and two afternoons per week program for adolescents which includes structured group educational/therapy sessions designed to build a solid foundation for recovery. This phase of the program lasts 10 weeks and utilizes the Matrix treatment model with an additional curriculum component for adults to address concurring mental health and substance use issues. This better addresses the rising percentage of consumers who are struggling with management of a mental health disorder while working toward recovery. A combination of individual, group and family treatment modalities, including creative therapies such as stress management and anger management, are integrated into this component of the program.
An opiate dependency group is also in place to address the needs of those consumers who are interested in Suboxone but who are not appropriate to enter the regular IOP due to their continued usage of opiates. This group meets three nights each week and includes a weekly individual session and care coordination to address the specifics of their pre-recovery status along with assisting them to meet their requirements for consideration in the Suboxone program and transition into the appropriate IOP service.
Social and adaptive skills are enhanced by interaction within the group structure where the client is assisted in changing patterns of behavior which have proven destructive in the past. Group process encourages breakdown of denial, isolation and ego-centricity in clients and reduces manipulative behaviors. Urine drug screens may be conducted for this purpose for consumers enrolled in the intensive program. Contingency management is also utilized in this particular treatment model to enhance motivation and cognitive-behavioral change.
Family group is included on a weekly basis for family members of adult clients in a conjoint session (both consumers and family members present) format. Family involvement is essential to attain knowledge of the addictive process and to learn to deal with their own behavioral/emotional problems as they attempt to make adjustments to the substance abuser’s progressive illness. For adolescent consumers, this service is offered through periodic family counseling sessions.
Consumers are requested to attend AA, Al-Anon or NA in the community, thus encouraging integration into community resources.
The second phase of the program is weekly Aftercare groups. Consumers and families are encouraged to participate for at least six months as they experience a new lifestyle chemically free. Relapse Prevention and Anger Management are offered as a part of the Aftercare continuum. Some consumers are referred directly to aftercare, particularly if they have completed an inpatient program or a similar outpatient program.
Both treatment tracts operate with the same schedule and run concurrently to allow ease of transition from service to service when necessary. They each funnel into the same Family services and Aftercare services to promote enhanced skill development and adjustment.
An additional tract for court ordered individuals has been implemented. It runs three mornings each week, allowing an alternative to the night time schedule and utilizes the same structure as the other IOPs, with an added component to address legal involvements and probation monitoring. Weekly contact with the courts or probation officer is provided to discuss progress, attendance, participation and completion.
• Care Coordination Services (Substance Abuse & Mental Health)
Care Coordination Services for mental health and substance abuse adults are integrated into all phases of treatment. An assessment is reviewed with each consumer with services provided to consumers/families based on their needs. Linkages with other community resources as well as direct case management services are a unique and viable component of these services. Home visits are used as a tool for keeping consumers involved in services, and transportation is available via van within Washington County for consumers and family members who do not have their own means of transportation.
• Medication Assisted Therapy and Care Coordination Services
Buprenorphine (Suboxone) treatment services are provided to opioid-dependent consumers determined to be in need of this treatment. Following an intensive enrollment period of at least three weeks which includes completion of an in-depth evaluation of appropriateness, attendance to IOP services three times per week and a minimum of weekly contact with their care coordinator, buprenorphine services may be recommended if supported by the treatment team. Once the physician offers final approval for program enrollment, buprenorphine therapy will include the following three phases of care:
1. Induction phase—this initial phase of treatment requires close medical supervision and monitoring. Services are to be initiatied on an outpatient basis in an office-based practice. Office-based inductions occur under the care of a physician who is certified to prescribe Buprenorphine medications for the treatment of addiction. HCBH has a service agreement with a certified provider to provide on-site services at the HCBH Main Campus location for office-based inductions. Weekly contact with the physician is required during this phase of treatment.
2. Stabilization phase—this phase of treatment generally occurs following Induction and is generally provided as an outpatient service in through medical/psychiatric supports at the HCBH Main Campus location. In this phase of treatment the consumer’s cravings and withdrawal symptoms have been reduced with few or no side effects. The medication may need to be adjusted until the correct dosage is determined and the consumer is stable. Semi-monthly to monthly contact is required with the physician in this phase of treatment.
3. Maintenance phase—this phase is reached when the consumer is doing well on a steady dose of Buprenorphine. The length of maintenance therapy is determined by the consumer and the physician. Semi-monthly to monthly contact is required with the physician in this phase of treatment All participants in the Medication Assisted Treatment program through HCBH will participate actively in developing an Individualized Services Plan which will include the following services in addition to those previously mentioned: Individual and family counseling services as necessary, Narcotics/Alcoholics Anonymous and other appropriate community involvement, medication compliance, urine screens and relapse prevention services.
Consumer satisfaction and other outcomes will be measured to determine and document treatment efficacy.
• Women’s Services
Services provided specifically for women include an intensive substance abuse program that customizes the services and principles of intensive outpatient to the individual needs and schedules of working and non-working mothers and other women whose needs may not be met in the regular program. Support groups with care coordination are provided on an as-needed basis for both mental health and substance abuse needs. Many of the women have multi-layered problem areas which necessitate networking within the community to assist in problem solving. An agreement with Johnston Memorial Hospital to link pregnant women who have a history of substance abuse or have positive drug screens following delivery with treatment programs has been developed. Referrals for screenings for infants with prenatal substance exposure are made to early Intervention, along with addressing transportation, child care and parenting and medical needs for pregnant or parenting women and their children.
• Restoration to Competency Services
These services are provided to adults who are referred by the criminal justice system after having been judged incompetent to stand trial. Restoration to competency services are provided in conjunction with a court order to assist the individual in learning the aspects of the legal system that are necessary to develop both a factual and rational understanding of the legal process while becoming able to assist their attorney in their own defense. Recommendations are made back to the court and involved attorneys regarding the status of the individual’s competency to stand trial.
The same service listed above for adults is also provided within a separate department for juveniles. However, the Department Director for Outpatient Services also provides supervision for juvenile restoration to competency cases, juvenile competency forensic evaluations and post-restoration evaluations for juveniles both within our catchement area and beyond. These services and evaluations include extensive communication with community providers, DMHMRSAS and the referring judge and related attorneys. They are also provided in conjunction with court orders.
Service Area:
Virginia (Abingdon/Washington County and City of Bristol)
Criteria for Individuals to Receive Services:
Admission Criteria:
Mental Health Admission Criteria:
Individuals who meet the following criteria are appropriate for adult or C&A Mental Health Outpatient Services.
- Have a DSM –IV-TR Axis I diagnosis as documented by previous treatment or by intake and assessment;
- Experience impairment in social, vocational, educational and/or family relations as a direct result of their mental health and/or substance use disorder;
- Identified support systems available to support treatment;
- Have the capacity, willingness, motivation and ability to work toward treatment goals in an outpatient setting;
- Level of functioning is stable enough as to require Outpatient treatment services as the primary treatment method, or as a supplemental service if enrolled in more intensive recovery services with HCS;
- Anticipated Outpatient length of stay is six months or less to achieve presenting problem resolution.
Substance Abuse Admission Criteria:
Individuals who meet the following criteria are appropriate for adult or C&A Substance Abuse Outpatient Services:
- Have a diagnosis of alcohol and/or drug dependence or history of other addictive behavior (DSM-IV-TR) as documented by previous treatment or by intake and assessment;
- Are substance free for 72 hours prior to program admission day or are screened for entry into Medication Assisted Treatment Services;
- Have at least one or more family members or significant other individual involved in treatment, when appropriate;
- Have the capacity, willingness, motivation and ability to participate in and commit to the treatment in an Outpatient setting.