Clinical Programs
Our program is designed as a continuum of care to meet the needs of our individual clients. At one end is an intensive residential program centered at our Third Street house. At the other is independent living in the community.
All clients have access to five components of our program. They are:
- Psychiatric assessment and medication management
- Individual and family psychotherapy
- Behavioral and Goal oriented therapy
- Milieu and group therapy
- Independent living skills program
Initially our focus is on stabilizing the client and building rapport, as well as assuring good general health. For some clients this occurs rapidly, but for others it may take a while.
As the client progresses the focus turns to relapse prevention, self care, improving life skills, and the requirements of independent living.
Our independent living skills program can focus on an array of issues, but most commonly focus on:
- Medication management
- Menu planning and cooking
- Time management
- Community resources such as transportation and banking.
- Budgeting and financial management
- Computer skills
- Job skills
- Recreational activities
Who We Treat
We work with clients that come to us with the following diagnoses:
- Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and delusional disorder
- Mood disorders such as depression, mania, or bipolar disorder
- Anxiety disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Childhood disorders persisting into adulthood, such as, attention deficit disorder and developmental disorders such as Aspergers and learning disabilities.
- Diagnoses secondary to a major psychiatric diagnosis such as substance abuse and personality disorder
- Co-existing medical disorders, such as diabetes mellitus and physical disabilities.
Clients admitted to Changing Options must be eighteen years of age or older. The program is voluntary, though clients on conservatorships can be accepted.
Longer Term Care
Changing Options offers longer term care to individuals who have reached a temporary plateau in their recovery. For these clients infrequent successes may appear inconsequential and feelings of failure by the client and family members common.
We believe their successes, no matter how small, need to be acknowledged and the client never viewed as a failure. The timeline for progress toward recovery may be uncertain, but we offer whatever time and support they need to reach their goals at Changing Options.
Longer term care clients are often older clients and have been in a variety of treatment programs before coming to Changing Options. Our focus with them is improving their quality of life as well as treating their underlying disorders. This includes supporting old interests as well as encouraging social and recreational activities at Changing Options and in the community. From a medical standpoint we strive to remain open to new approaches and new treatments as they become available.
Families have welcomed this focus. It has been reassuring to have their loved ones accepted on their own terms without specific time limits to measure success. References from such families are available upon request.
Dual Diagnosis Clients
Changing Options welcomes clients whose major mental health problems are complicated by substance abuse. Our expectation is that clients entering our mental health program recognize their substance abuse issues and are working on their recovery. We support their continued recovery through peer support, counseling, and referrals to community substance abuse programs.
Contact us at: (760) 789-7299 | 500 Third Street, Ramona, CA 92065
