MENTAL HEALTH
74
Treasure Coast Medical Report
ONE STEP AT A TIME
Program CARES to help patients cope
after leaving hospital environment
BY PATTIE DURHAM
For families and patients struggling
with the seemingly endless
circle of inpatient and outpatient
treatment for the many and varied
forms of mental illness, a new program
through St. Lucie Medical Center
known as CARES (Compassion, Accountability,
Respect, Enthusiasm and
Support) will soon be able to help provide
relief for those who are suffering.
Some patients have had difficulty
with stepping down from the inpatient
unit with its 24-hour care to meeting
one hour a week with a therapist as
outpatient follow-up. Many therapists
began to think that more intermediary
steps are needed to help their clients
function in society. Thus, the idea of the
intensive outpatient program was born.
CARES offers an 8- to 10-week opportunity
for intensive follow care
after hospitalized patients have been
discharged. Clients will meet in groups
three days a week, Monday, Wednesday
and Thursday, for three hours each
day. The CARES curriculum provides a
three-pronged effort to help clients adjust
to problems or frustrations in their
lives. The clients will work through
process groups where they will discuss
a common topic with which they are
dealing. With the therapist acting as a
facilitator, the clients will discuss the
problem and create their own resolution.
They also will have psychotherapy
groups with therapeutic intervention in
a crisis situation. Lastly, they will have
psycho-education groups where guest
speakers along with the therapists will
address issues for all of the clients such
as medications and their importance,
coping skills and other aspects of managing
their illnesses.
Headed up by Katy Maxemow, director
of outreach and business development
at St. Lucie Medical Center,
the new program is staffed by Sandy
Alicea, a licensed clinical social worker,
and Linda Seraphin, a licensed mental
health therapist. Maxemow said there
is a program at HCA’s other St. Lucie
County hospital, Lawnwood Regional
Medical Center in Fort Pierce, that has
been in existence for about a year. She
said the intensive outpatient program
should be up and running soon in the
Port St. Lucie Medical Plaza, adjacent to
St. Lucie Medical Center. >>
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
It’s Okay to Get Help
About the Mental Health Association Walk-In & Counseling Center
The Walk-In & Counseling Center is designed to meet the emerging and
imminent mental health needs of individuals and families in our community
while enhancing the quality of their lives.
The Center provides crisis intervention and individual therapy services to
children, adults, and families as well as psychiatric evaluations and medication
management services to adults.
The Walk-In & Counseling Center Staff understands you can’t wait for an
appointment and we don’t expect you to have to. We are open Monday - Friday
8:30 am. until 5:00 pm. and no appointment necessary for a mental health
screening. Just walk in. Subsequent visits by appointment only.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
www.mhairc.org
FOR RESOURCES
(772) 569-9788 | 820 37th Place, Vero Beach, FL 32960 | www.mhairc.org | Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. - 5:00p.m.
/www.mhairc.org
/www.mhairc.org
/www.mhairc.org