Intensive outpatient program guidelines

In order for you to get the most benefit from the Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program, it is important to follow these suggested guidelines inspired by past experiences from staff and other patients who have come to program before you. Attending the Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program requires your commitment. You being present and participating in the program is important for your recovery process as well as supporting the recovery process of other group members. It is also an opportunity for you to give yourself permission to receive help and experience healthy community with others.

The Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program multidisciplinary team will discuss your schedule with you. Patients who attend an Adult Day Hospital Level of Care participate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Patients who attend an Intensive Outpatient Program Level of Care may attend Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Your schedule is discussed with you in a collaborative, caring manner with your psychiatrist and members of the multidisciplinary team.

The length of stay for your treatment/plan of care is determined on an individual basis with your Psychiatrist, Case Manager and members of the multidisciplinary team. The average length of stay in the program for most patients is two to three weeks. As you progress and prepare to leave the program, attendance is often reduced from an Adult Day Hospital Level of Care to an Intensive Outpatient Level of Care.

If you are unable to attend Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program on a particular day, please inform staff in advance. In order for you to gain the benefit of participating in Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program, we encourage you to schedule outside appointments after program hours if possible.

If you are unable to attend program due to illness or other circumstances, patients are requested to call 847-723-5896 between 8 - 8:30 a.m. to speak with your Case Manager and/or another staff member. Your Case Manager and/or staff member will speak with your directly to review how you are feeling emotionally and physically as well as to assess for your safety. We want to know how you are and provide support to you with meeting your desired goals for treatment. Also, we request you please call your doctor to inform him/her of your absence. If we do not receive a call from you, your Case Manager and/or staff member will call you to assess how you are. If we are not able to get in contact with you, your Case Manager and/or Staff will speak with an individual designated on your Consent For Family/Significant Other Contact. We will also inform your psychiatrist regarding your absence.

If you are experiencing difficulty with attending the program, staff welcomes your addressing these issues with us and gaining support in resolving these issues. If you are unable to consistently attend the program and have multiple unexcused absences, this may result in discharge from the program. It also may be an indication of your needing a higher level of care, such as inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. If inpatient psychiatric hospitalization is needed, staff will assist you with these arrangements during program hours.

If an emergency occurs outside of program hours, such as you are feeling suicidal and you are not able to follow your safety plan, you are to contact your doctor, out-patient psychotherapist, go to your nearest Emergency Room for a psychiatric evaluation and/or dial 911.

Patients are responsible for the self-administration of their medication. Please bring your medication with you when you need to take your medication during program hours. If you have questions and/or concerns with your medication, please inform your doctor and/or the psychiatric nurse. If there are any changes in your medication, please inform the psychiatric nurse.

Alcohol and any other illicit drugs must be abstained from throughout your treatment in the program, including evenings and weekends. Both psycho-active substances will interfere with your recovery and if either has been used on a regular basis, a substance abuse evaluation will be recommended. Staff will assist you in locating substance abuse treatment if this is needed.

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Guidelines concerning privacy, confidentiality, safety, and personal boundaries

All patients have a right to privacy and confidentiality. Your treatment will be discussed with your doctors and members of the multidisciplinary team. We ask for consent to speak to your current out-patient psychotherapist, psychiatrist and/or any other treatment providers about your previous and current treatment. The purpose for speaking with other treatment providers is to assist you with meeting your goals for treatment. Your insurance company also may require clinical updates from staff in order for your treatment to be covered.

Issues you are working on in therapy will not be discussed with anyone outside of the multidisciplinary team unless you are aware and have given us a signed written consent for the release of this information.

We ask patients to respect the confidentiality of others in the Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program. This helps to promote healthy community and a sense of safety. Confidentiality will be kept by not discussing outside of program who is in the program and why they are here. Group members are asked not to discuss outside of group what was discussed in group by other group members.

Time spent with each other at breaks and lunchtime is encouraged to remain social. It is recommended therapy issues be kept in groups and not continued on breaks and at lunch. The purpose of this is to help you from not feeling overwhelmed regarding your behavioral health issues as well as setting boundaries with yourself to process these issues within the group psychotherapy setting.

Program participants are encouraged not to be in contact with each other outside program while attending the program and for six months following discharge from the program. The purpose of this guideline is to ensure you will focus on your own issues, recovery and self-care. If you are experiencing difficulty with maintaining this guideline/boundary, please speak with your Case Manager and/or staff member.

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Group guidelines

In order to promote health community, a sense of safety and respect for yourself and other group members, it is important to attend groups on time. The therapists will make a conscious effort to also end groups on time however; there may be situations in which the group may go beyond the scheduled time due to the sensitive nature of what a group member may be sharing in group.

Group members are also encouraged to be present to give each other support and feedback in groups. It is important to remember when one group member is doing their work; you are all doing your work. Be conscious/mindful of what you are identifying with other group member's life experiences. Pay attention to your body, recognizing if you are experiencing feelings and where in your body you are experiencing these feelings (i.e. if I am feeling anxious, I notice I clench my jaw or my muscles become tight in my shoulders or upper neck). When giving feedback to other group members, be mindful of sharing your own life experience and sharing in the first person (i.e. I feel or I think or in my life experience...).
One person speaking at a time to the group is the most effective and direct way to communicate in a group setting. It also allows each individual the opportunity to share their own life experience.

Since you are asked to be fully present in group, we ask you to refrain from eating in group unless there is a medical reason for you to eat (i.e. you are diabetic, etc) and to not take notes during group psychotherapy. If a group member and/or staff share something you wish to jot down, please communicate this with staff.

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General guidelines

In order to protect the confidentiality of you and other patients, visitors are not permitted at Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program.  

As a place of healing, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital is committed to the promotion of health. The smoke free campus is designated to protect the health and safety of patients, visitors and hospital staff. If you are interested in Smoking Cessation information and programs, the psychiatric nurse will review this information with you upon admission to the Adult Day Hospital-Intensive Outpatient Program.  

Personal attire is casual. Staff does reserve the right to question what may be inappropriate attire, such as: clothing with themes of violence or offensiveness, and/or clothing which may be overly revealing of your physical body.

Phones are available in break rooms to make local calls. Please use these phones on a limited basis to make appointments, etc. If a family member needs to reach you urgently, they may call the program at 847-723-5896.