Entering treatment can seem like a vast and mysterious process, which is why we’re here to break it down for you. We want you to feel confident and knowledgeable when it comes to your treatment plan and overall health.
Here’s what you can expect when you come to The GateHouse for an initial assessment.
Why do you need an initial assessment?
Everyone who comes to us for their initial assessment comes in under different circumstances. Some may get an assessment before finding an inpatient program, or some may need an initial drug and alcohol assessment for legal reasons. No matter what your reason for needing an assessment, you’ll generally follow the same timeline of events.
What can you expect during an initial assessment?
When you arrive for your initial assessment, you’ll complete three steps during your visit.
Step 1: Paperwork
Once you arrive at the facility, you‘ll start by filling out county funding paperwork for your records. Prior to the session, you may also be asked to bring in your income information to apply for funding.
Step 2: Assessment
After completing the necessary paperwork, we’ll begin the assessment session. During the session, we’ll conduct a biopsychosocial assessment to help determine what level of care meets your needs. Throughout the session, we’ll gather your complete family history, lifestyle information, history of drug and alcohol use, and what brought you into treatment.
Step 3: Determination of care
Following the assessment, we’ll compare what we learned during the session to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria to determine the best level of care for your needs. ASAM criteria looks at the following circumstances:
- Your recovery environment
- Biomedical conditions
- Withdrawal potential
- Emotional and behavioral considerations
- Your readiness to change
The levels of care are:
1.Outpatient Services
2. Intensive Outpatient Services
2.5. Halfway House
3. Inpatient Rehabilitation
4. Detox
What happens after an initial assessment?
Depending on level of care recommended, we’ll either report that we do not have a treatment recommendation for you, refer you to an inpatient or detox facility, or refer you to one of our services listed below.
Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Programs
The lowest level of care we provide is our outpatient program. The outpatient program currently offers three types of groups:
- Men and women trauma-informed groups
- Relapse prevention groups
- Living in balance groups
Outpatient clients attend one group a week and meet with a counselor at least every other week, and intensive outpatients attend three, three-hour sessions a week and meet with their counselor once a week.
All of our outpatient programs use evidence-based treatment models, so you can feel confident that we’re providing you with the best possible treatment options.
Halfway Houses
At The GateHouse, we have two halfway houses. Most halfway house residents have come from 30, 60, or 90-day inpatient treatment stays and must be referred by a professional. We also take referrals from State Correctional Institutions many now have their own drug and alcohol programs.
Getting an initial assessment doesn’t have to be a complicated process. We’re here to help you. The GateHouse is a county-contracted outpatient treatment provider, so we can provide you with no-cost assessments if you don’t have insurance. Reach out to us for more information!
