When searching for care for a patient or loved one undergoing significant mental health challenges, it can be hard to find the right fit, the right facility and the right level of treatment to help.

In this blog, we’ll discuss what a Full-Day Treatment Program looks like, and what an average day in treatment entails. Patients, clinicians and family members can use this guide to get more insight into whether day treatment is the right level of care.

While our blog certainly can’t answer every question, we hope this blog on day treatment daily schedules will give you an inside look at the patient experience in day treatment for adults here at Salt Lake Behavioral Health.

Day Treatment involves in-depth mental health treatment five days a week, for five hours a day. Full-Day Treatment is sometimes called Partial Hospitalization. Patients usually need this level of care for between two and four weeks. Treatment may include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (Group therapy)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy
• Check-ins with a psychiatrist
• Existential Therapy
• Yoga
• Moral Injury Repair groups
• Seeking Safety curriculum
• Health and wellness training
• Music therapy
• Recreational therapy
• And more

A day treatment program is ideal for those who are struggling with daily functioning, but who do not meet criteria for inpatient hospitalization – they are not at active risk of harming themselves or others. If someone is at risk of harming themselves or others, they are appropriate for inpatient hospitalization on a crisis stabilization unit. Once they discharge, often day treatment is recommended as follow-up care.

At SLBH, the schedule for day treatment runs from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a 30-minute break for lunch, which is provided by the facility.

One of the benefits of day treatment is access to a psychiatrist for new prescriptions or adjustments to current dosages. With staff close by, reactions and side effects of medications can be closely monitored and documented. Instead of waiting weeks for an appointment with a psychiatrist at a clinic, the psychiatrist is available to help the patient with their medications usually within days.

Day treatment is often used as a transition program for those who are discharging from an inpatient program for either mental health or substance use. After being hospitalized, day treatment can help patients regain their footing on their own at home, while having daily support from hospital staff. It also allows for additional time transitioning and adapting to mental health medications, with check-ins with a psychiatrist to monitor side effects.

Day treatment can be used as an intervention when a person doesn’t meet criteria for inpatient hospitalization, but still requires more help than a clinician can provide on an outpatient basis. [If the person is actively a danger to themselves or others, they should seek inpatient hospitalization.

At our day treatment in Salt Lake City, the patient will be evaluated by a psychiatrist within the first few days of treatment and can be provided with medications to manage their condition, as well as participation in extensive therapy groups and treatments. This may be what the patient needs to regain stability.

What mental health conditions are treated in a day treatment program? Almost every mental health condition that is impacting someone’s functioning can be treated in a day treatment program. This includes:

• Substance abuse
• Trauma
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Personality disorders
• And many others

In day treatment, patients learn skills and social tools to help them better function in their day-to-day life.

Are you struggling with a mental health or substance use disorder and interested in day treatment at SLBH? Simply call 801-264-6000 to talk to the admissions team today and find out which level of care may be right for you.

Salt Lake Behavioral Health is a private freestanding psychiatric hospital that specializes in mental health and substance abuse treatment. Our services are provided to adults 18 years and older. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, we also service the surrounding areas.

Here at our facility we offer a comfortable and confidential atmosphere. We pride ourselves on having specialty behavioral programs that are tailored to meet the needs of each individual. Some of our program include our addiction, inpatient and outpatient services.

To schedule a no cost 24/7 assessment, give us a call at (801)264-6000.