Support Services

Those who seek mental health care can benefit from a wide variety of services that support a state of optimal well-being. These services may include various types of psychotherapy, assistance in obtaining life goals, nutrition services, discharge planning, and more. Support services are most effective when multiple are offered, as individual needs can vary greatly.

Table of Contents

Holistic Support at Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention

At Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, we offer a wide variety of support services. We are a crisis stabilization unit (CSU) based in San Diego, California, and we also serve the College Ave. district, La Mesa, and La Jolla areas. We offer holistic, evidence-based care for individuals with mental health conditions experiencing a crisis. 

Our CSU seats fewer than 16 individuals at any given time, meaning each client receives the proper attention and care they need. This program is intended to provide individuals experiencing mental health crises with effective short-term care. Clients leave our program with a mental health plan and the tools they need to succeed.

We believe everyone deserves access to care. At our CSU, we serve clients with major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other trauma, and a variety of other disorders. No matter what diagnosis someone is dealing with, help is just around the corner.

Our Support Services

To ensure our clients have the best chance at recovery, we offer a wide variety of support services aimed at fulfilling the needs of our clients and addressing any difficulties that may arise. Services include multiple types of individual and group therapy throughout the week. In addition, clients have access to other services, including medication management, treatment and discharge planning, family and community services, and more.

Individual and Group Support

During treatment, all clients have access to at least two individual therapy sessions with a primary therapist. Clients meet with a case manager once per week. In addition, our program offers six hours of clinical programming daily, including on the weekends.

Our clinical programming includes:

  • Psycho-educational groups: Clients meet with peers during the day. Our mental health professionals lead therapy groups and aid clients in learning communication skills, strategies for mental health, and more. 
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): ACT is a mindfulness-based therapy that teaches important emotional skills. During sessions, clients learn to stay present with their emotions, process emotions effectively, and view themselves in a non-judgemental light. In addition, clients work with our staff to identify what is most important to them and work towards achieving it.
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a scientifically backed therapy that is commonly used for many conditions, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, PTSD, and more. CBT helps individuals to recognize and address negative thought patterns effectively. 
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT is a type of CBT that specifically focuses on addressing intense emotions. Using DBT, our clients not only learn about negative thought patterns but also gain tools to understand and accept themselves, focus on the moment, and create stronger, healthier relationships.

Ongoing Medication Management

When entering treatment, many individuals have pre-existing prescriptions for medications. It can seem difficult to try to manage both medication and treatment simultaneously. We offer expert medication management for all of our clients with pre-existing medications, ensuring that nothing falls by the wayside.

Our medication management includes medication reconciliation (establishing and documenting clients’ existing medications), education on existing medications, adjustments to dosages, support with adherence, and safe medication storage.

Treatment and Discharge Planning

After enrolling in our CSU, clients meet with a medical doctor (MD) or nurse practitioner (NP) for an initial evaluation. During an initial evaluation, clients discuss their conditions and associated symptoms, learn about our services, and get set up for their stay. All clients meet with their MD or NP weekly to discuss their progress and needs. 

When clients are preparing for discharge from our program, they meet with their health team to create a discharge plan. During discharge planning, we work with clients to finish care, prepare to return home, and establish a plan for post-discharge.

Family and Community Services

Community support has been shown to be an important element of mental wellness. Family members and community members can provide a kind of “backbone” of recovery. Social circles can provide ongoing emotional support, protect vulnerable individuals from isolation, help individuals access services, and more. At Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, we ensure that none of our clients feel alone, especially at their most vulnerable times.

During treatment, we take a variety of steps to connect our clients to their social circles. We work with clients to reach out to their families during admission, and clients regularly communicate with family members while in treatment. In addition, our discharge planning includes identifying and reaching out to potential support within the community.

Other Support Services

We also offer other support services to enhance our clients’ lives, including:

  • 24/7 nursing and care staff support: Safety is our number one priority. During treatment, all clients have access to nurse and care staff support at all hours of the day. 
  • Nutrition and recreation services: During their care, our clients have access to weekly 90-minute nutrition groups with our nutritionist, where clients can ask questions about their needs and access support. In addition, we provide weekly recreation groups, including art therapy, sound baths, yoga, and breathwork. 
  • Referral for ongoing services: Our CSU is intended to be an effective short-term care solution, but we expect most clients will benefit from additional care after discharge. As part of our services, we help clients to find and access ongoing services to continue care after exiting our program.

You don’t have to cope with your mental health crisis alone. At Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, we can provide you with a variety of support services to promote health and recovery. For more about our services, call (619) 457-4613.