Specialty Therapies – Primary Mental Health Program (PMH): AAC

The primary mental health (PMH) program at River Oaks specializes in treating individuals with psychiatric symptoms that impair their functioning and are independent of substance use disorders. River Oaks, a residential care facility, provides an environment where patients engage in voluntary treatment to learn more about their conditions and develop skills to manage their symptoms and prevent future mental health crises.

Those who meet the admission criteria for the PMH program at River Oaks include:

• Individuals with a primary mental health diagnosis that is not related to substance use—including major depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, or personality disorders—who are aged 18 or older and are voluntarily seeking mental health care.
• Those who do not require acute inpatient psychiatric or medical treatment.
• People who have conditions that are adequately treated and stable.
• Individuals who have insurance coverage for residential mental health care or can pay out of pocket.
• Those who can and want to commit to long-term residential care.

Before being accepted into the program, every person undergoes a pre-assessment by the River Oaks’ program leadership team.

The clinical services offered at River Oaks include skills training, education, medication management, counseling, and various therapies. These different modalities enable the healthcare team to create a customized Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) plan for each patient enrolled, which may include:

• Individual therapy. This involves one-on-one sessions with a therapist to help the patient identify, explore, and process their thoughts, emotions, and life situations. This type of therapy allows a patient to work through problems or thoughts in a confidential, highly individualized, safe setting.
• Group therapy. An evidence-based intervention, therapeutic groups allow patients to focus on specific topics—such as coping skills, emotions regulation, or interpersonal relationships—with other peers facing similar challenges and issues. Group discussions, led by a professional therapist, can increase patients’ motivation for healing, reduce negative symptoms, improve social functioning, and strengthen interpersonal relationship skills.¹
• Medication management. Treating mental health disorders with medication can make a big difference in a person’s everyday symptoms. Medications affect individuals in different ways, so it may take several tries to find the right drug and dose that works the best for each patient and condition.² Each patient’s treatment team includes a psychiatrist who monitors and adjusts medications as needed.
• Psychiatric rehabilitation. This helps individuals with mental health disorders participate in skill-building opportunities to learn to manage their mental health and improve social, emotional, and intellectual functioning and independence within their community. Taking time to address these skills can optimize a person’s functionality at work, in relationships, and at home to minimize the need for ongoing professional support.

The modalities employed at River Oaks take an integrated approach to mental health treatment by combining elements of DBT and Seeking Safety, an evidence-based treatment that helps individuals attain safety from trauma.³ This supports individuals in cultivating emotional regulation, building resilience, and fostering a sense of safety and stability in their lives.

The PMH program at River Oaks also utilizes evidence-based milieu groups. These groups change the environment and are structured to affect the patients’ behaviors and improve the psychological health and functioning of each patient.⁴ At River Oaks, these groups may explore several topics, including (but not limited to):

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), which helps patients cultivate an awareness of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors; develop distress tolerance; understand emotions regulation, and enhance their communication and relationship skills.
• Mindfulness.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
• Motivational interviewing (MI).
• Anger management.
• Stress reduction.
• Life/coping skills.
• Self-awareness.

Returning to everyday life after treatment can be challenging. The PMH program at River Oaks helps patients transition to outside life by identifying needs and connecting patients to services that can support them in finding housing, employment, and other social benefits.

Additionally, a written aftercare plan—shared with the patient and outside providers (with patient permission)—helps individuals maintain continuity of care and support after discharge. This includes the coordination of care with outpatient providers, primary care physicians, and mental health and other providers to ensure a smooth and appropriate transition of care.

While individuals currently experiencing a mental health crisis are not eligible for the PMH program at River Oaks, treatment center protocols are in place to ensure the safety and security of individuals within the program and rehab facility should they find themselves in crisis. Additionally, the staff is trained in de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention strategies.

River Oaks Mental Health Services: A Center for Healing & Wellness is dedicated to quality care and improvement. What does this mean exactly? Monitoring and evaluation of the program outcomes will take place, and patient satisfaction will be measured. This feedback will be utilized to make improvements and enhance the effectiveness of the program.

If you or a loved one struggle with a mental health disorder, independent of substance use, and you are ready to commit to a treatment program that will help you achieve long-term recovery and optimal wellness of your mind, body, and spirit, reach out to River Oaks Mental Health Services: A Center for Healing & Wellness at .