Other Program Information
Our Team
All of our counselors have a master’s level education and/or licensure and their areas of studies usually include social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, and art therapy. Our Advocates and Peer Recovery Coaches provide case management, connections and referrals to any needed resources, and as-needed support in various life areas (e.g. employment, finances, recovery supports, medical needs, legal appointments) and are extensively trained in our clients’ diverse needs. Our staff will not provide services that they are not qualified or competent to provide.
Our multidisciplinary team consults in all our cases and is supervised by a Clinical Psychologist to assure diagnostic accuracy and the best possible plan for each client. Each staff member is governed by a code of ethics in their field as well as our MHAI ethics policies.
Occasionally, you will notice students completing their internships at Emberwood Center. They are typically seeking a degree similar to one of the counselors’ and they may be bachelor’s or master’s level students. These interns are closely supervised by our staff team. If offered, you may choose whether or not you wish to work with an intern under the supervision of our qualified staff.
Purpose and Process of the Assessment
The purpose of the assessment is to determine if you meet criteria for treatment at Emberwood Center, what exactly are the goals we will plan to accomplish, and what overall services are needed.
Our assessment is a two-step process; the first one is done by you or with the assistance of an Advocate or Peer Coach and includes:
- Reviewing some information orienting you to our program as well as some informational materials
- Signing consents and financial agreements, as well as Release of Information permissions for anyone with whom you want us to share updates about your treatment
- Completing an intake form that includes basic information for our records, and in some cases information needed by our accreditation bodies and funding sources in order for you to qualify for free or reduced fees’ services
- Completing screening tools to assist with the diagnosis
The second step is meeting with a counselor (and/or Peer Recovery Coach/Advocate) who will conduct a biopsychosocial assessment in order to gather a thorough history. The screening tools are scored, and in the case of Substance Use treatment a Needs and Strengths Assessment (CANS for minors or ANSA for adults) is also completed. A drug screen is also typically collected at the time of assessment if use of substances is one of the issues to be addressed.
The counselor will discuss with you possible recommendations for follow-up but the finalized recommendations for treatment will be discussed with you following the multidisciplinary team meeting.
An interpretive summary including information you provided during your assessment will be completed and sent to your referral source (if any). At the end of your assessment appointment, you will be asked to fill out a client satisfaction survey, as we appreciate your feedback and suggestions.
Person Centered Plan
Your Person Centered Plan (PCP) is your plan for treatment and is developed with your active participation during your assessment or your follow up appointment. You may also choose to involve other people (friends, family, community members, other service providers, etc.) in the development of your plan and during treatment. The plan also serves as your contract for treatment at Emberwood Center. This plan shows the goals that you would like to accomplish, objectives to describe the steps to get you there, and interventions that will be used during your treatment sessions.
Plans are reviewed periodically to ensure that they are relevant to your current situation. This may include, but is not limited to, times when you need to transition to a higher or lower level of care, or to services outside of Emberwood Center.
Course of Treatment
“Cookie-cutter” treatment is not how Emberwood Center operates. Your treatment will be designed around your goals and needs. Our goal is for your treatment to be short-term and goal-oriented, to increase your overall well-being by reducing uncomfortable symptoms and giving you tools to increase healthy coping skills and eliminate your desire to use hurtful coping skills including using substances and/ or gambling.
Your treatment may include education, individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, art therapy, and/or drug screens. We provide these services to you through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and other evidence-based models. We also provide case management, advocacy, recovery supports and skills training to support you in improving all areas of your life. You can choose other people (such as family members or other supports) to be involved in your treatment. Sometimes other services or resources are needed or desired by our clients; we are happy to make referrals for other things you may need that are not provided by Emberwood Center.
Your success in your treatment program will depend on you. Successful clients show up for their scheduled appointments, actively participate in services, and eliminate non-as-prescribed substance use. If your referral source has set up specific requirements for you, those will need to be achieved in order to be successful as well.
Referral Sources and Court Ordered Services
If you are referred to services or court ordered to complete services, you will be asked to sign a release of information so that your referral source will be aware of your progress. Many times, they need to know about your progress so they can make determinations regarding whether or not you are meeting their requirements and/or court ordered terms. Please note that you are expected to comply with the terms of any court order in place.
With a valid release of information, referral sources typically receive a summary of your assessment, drug screens, monthly progress updates, and transition/discharge reports. Regardless of your treatment outcome, a final report will be sent to your referral source.
Drug Screens
Drug screens are administered randomly, though will typically be noted in your person centered plan as occurring a certain amount of times each month. Because they are random, come prepared to potentially provide a drug screen sample even though you may not receive one that day. You may also receive one at the time of your assessment for a baseline measurement. Drug screens may be completed through a test of your urine and/or saliva at any given time during treatment. Please be aware that you may be observed during a urine drug screen. If unobserved, you will be asked to not flush the toilet or wash your hands until you have opened the bathroom door.
A “screen” is only an initial result. Confirmation of the screen can be obtained to ensure the results were accurate, and to determine the specific amount of substance detected. If you would like this confirmation, you will have to cover the cost.
Transition and Discharge
Sometimes during treatment, your level of services may need to increase or decrease based on your progress or per a request from your referral source. This is considered a transition. A transition may be considered a discharge if services through Emberwood Center are to cease. A transition may be a planned transition, such as a successful discharge when you complete your recommended program and have had approximately a month of negative drug screens. This may vary for each person.
There may be times when your transition is unplanned. For instance, your referral source may say you have completed their requirements and do not need to continue services through Emberwood Center and you choose to not continue the program. You may also have an unplanned transition/discharge by Emberwood Center staff if you do not attend your appointments or do not follow Emberwood Center rules.
Anytime you transition, you will have an opportunity to review or update your PCP. You may want to increase or decrease your services here, change your goals or objectives, or just revisit the plan to ensure it is appropriate to your new level of care. You do not have to make a transition to look over your PCP. You may ask your counselor to review and modify it at any time.
After-Hour Services
Our operating hours are from 9:00AM to 8:00PM Monday through Thursday. We are not open on holidays.
If you find yourself needing help after hours, you have the following options: