Partial Hospitalization Program FAQs

What is the Partial Hospital Program?

The goal of the Overlake Partial Hospitalization Program is to provide people over age of 18 who are experiencing significant anxiety- or mood disorder-based challenges the opportunity to build skills in self-care, life balance, stress management, and healthy interpersonal relationship development. The program operates from 8:30 am - 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The average length of enrollment in the program is six to eight days.
 

Who attends the program?

The Overlake Partial Hospitalization Program is designed to help patients experiencing significant symptoms of mood disorder or anxiety that are unable to be managed adequately with a typical outpatient treatment plan. These patients may be transitioning out of more structured levels of care such as in an inpatient setting, or they may be intensifying their existing outpatient work to prevent an inpatient stay. All participants in the program are voluntary.
 

Who provides the treatment in the partial hospitalization program?

Each patient’s treatment team includes a psychiatric provider and a clinical mental health therapist. The program provider conducts the first group session each morning in order to track, assess and adjust medications that are used to regulate brain chemistry and support active engagement in the psychotherapy process. No individual therapy is offered.

What skills are taught?

• Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches patients how to identify and challenge negative, unrealistic thoughts and beliefs that often underpin depression and anxiety. Practice opportunities are provided to challenge and modify distorted thoughts.
• Life balance skills that are taught in the program include prioritizing adequate sleep, leisure, exercise, nutrition and other regular, positive activities that increase patients’ ability to manage stress and build self-confidence. Work and family roles are addressed.
• The Interpersonal skills that program attendees develop include assertiveness, positive/clear communication, fair fighting/conflict management, grief/loss processing and relationship management.
   

I already know what I need to do to function and feel better. Why should I come to a program for that?

The Overlake Partial Hospitalization Program stands out by enabling its patients to translate therapeutic knowledge into action and assess the results of new behaviors in real time. It empowers patients to make positive changes by providing a safe environment to try out new approaches to situations and relationships, with both peer and professional support. Whereas external reassurance can be temporary, well-guided personal experiences and skills development can better provide encouragement and ideas for the next steps in both therapy and life.
 

How am I going to manage taking the time off from work to attend the program?

Even before enrollment, the Overlake Adult Partial Hospitalization program will work with you to clarify the medical necessity of your enrollment, and to individualize a return-to-work plan. Often, adjustment to the roles and demands at work can be a major factor in management of stress. The skills learned here, such as setting realistic goals and working collaboratively, can result in increased confidence and a more productive approach to your work life.
 

Will the program collaborate with my existing providers?

With your written permission, we can collaborate and communicate with your existing medical and mental health team. If you do not have established mental health providers, we will assist you in identifying appropriate local providers contracted with your insurance. To ensure good continuity of care, we ask that you call your providers or reach out to the referrals you receive on your first day in the program to make follow-up appointments to occur within seven to 14 days of your discharge from the program.
 

What will the costs of the program be?

Overlake’s program is accredited, and we are contracted with most of the major insurance plans and managed care organizations. Your particular health insurance plan will determine what percentage of the program can be covered through insurance, and what your deductible, co-pay and stop-loss amounts are. We will attempt to notify you as soon as possible what your cost, if any, would be.
 

This program sounds like a lot. How can I be sure it would help me?

We get it. Many people resist trying something new when they are already feeling discouraged and depleted. The Overlake Adult Partial Hospitalization Program is a commitment of time and energy, but it’s a unique opportunity to develop the skills you need to improve relationships, live a more balanced life, and decrease stress. We work with you and provide situations to try out new strategies in a therapeutic group setting so you’re comfortable with the new techniques you learn, giving you the confidence you need to make real and lasting change.

When you have been clinically assessed and determined to be appropriate for the program, we encourage you to decide and plan to engage for the complete duration of the treatment. Most of our participants find that after completing a day or two—actually having a chance to participate in the groups and getting to know the other group members—their initial concerns subside. Often, people decide it’s different from what they’d imagined, and express willingness to further engage in the therapeutic process.
 

What do I do if I have more questions?

Call the Overlake Partial Hospital Program line at 425.688.5681. Leave a message with a number where you can be reached, and a staff member will return your call as soon as possible.