Filling a Gap
Mental health problems have a way of affecting every part your life. From work and relationships to friends and family, mental illness can seep in and wear you down. But the Miller-Dwan Foundation has ways to help. By addressing those problems that affect the very core of our being, we fill our region’s most critical healthcare gaps and change people’s lives.
Mental health services in northwestern Wisconsin is one of those gaps. Recent mental health clinic closures have created a severe and ongoing mental health care shortage.
And with the waiting, things only get worse. The longer patients go without the care they need, the sicker they can become, requiring higher levels of care.
“This makes zero healthcare sense, and it makes zero economic sense,” says Miller-Dwan Foundation President, Traci Marciniak.
Partial Hospitalization Programming
That’s why the Miller-Dwan Foundation has created Partial Hospitalization Programming (PHP), a multi-disciplinary, group-based, intensive outpatient psychotherapeutic program for those age 18 and older who are struggling with mental illness and substance abuse. It operates for six hours every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for three weeks. Attendance is required at every session.
The holistic program offers outpatient group therapy in a safe and therapeutic environment. The PHP healthcare team includes psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, psychotherapists, activity therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, chaplains and more.
The program’s intensity allows participants to quickly make progress, see results and get back on their feet. Clients can make a year’s worth of outpatient therapy [one-on-one] progress in the three weeks of a partial hospital program. Three weeks gives them a baseline of skills and enough time with staff to plan a program for ongoing care.
PHP is a step down from full hospitalization or residential treatment, or if appropriate, it can be used in place of full in-patient psychiatric hospitalization. For others, PHP might be a refresher after a relapse of symptoms. Patients may be referred for PHP or they can self-refer. All patients will be individually and comprehensively assessed with each one having an individual treatment plan tailored to their specific needs.
A gift to the Superior PHP
A gift to the Miller-Dwan Foundation designated to the Superior PHP will:
• Help patients develop communication skills and participate in socialization and support experiences, sometimes for the first time in their lives. This is particularly useful for individuals whose socializing has revolved around using drugs or alcohol;
• Foster emotional and behavioral change;
• Teach and reinforce life-long coping skills and healthful ways of interacting;
• Manage medication and other individualized medical care as needed;
• Introduce structure and discipline into their often-chaotic lives including nutrition education, physical activity and art therapy.
• Give patients the tools they need to determine a clear plan for future mental wellness and coping.
And as a result, northwestern Wisconsin will experience fewer mental health tragedies.
Both provider and self-referrals are accepted. Participants are evaluated by staff before being admitted. For more information on the Superior program, call (715) 817-7188.
Stay tuned as the Miller-Dwan Foundation continues its efforts to fill the Superior area mental health gaps.
For more information about the work being done at the Superior PHP Program, check out the video below.