Services Provided

Chemical dependency is a primary, chronic medical disease, affecting many aspects of an individual’s life, as well as his or her family and workplace. Kaiser Permanente’s Chemical Dependency Recovery Program is designed to help the individual lead a chemical-free life, to assist the family in their own recovery, and to identify healthy ways for the family to respond to and support the chemically dependent individual during the recovery process. We also work closely with Employee Assistance Programs and Substance Abuse Professionals to address workplace issues.

Chemical Dependency Services are comprehensive and integrated, and are available as a basic benefit to all Health Plan members who have problems with alcohol or other legal or illegal drugs, including prescription drugs and nicotine. All services are staffed by a multidisciplinary team including physicians, nurses, psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and certified addiction counselors.

The initial level of treatment for any patient is determined by an intake evaluation that includes an interview with the patient and a medical assessment if applicable, and consultation with the patient’s physician, EAP, and other relevant contacts. Each patient is assigned to a staff member who serves as primary therapist, meeting regularly with the patient to assist with treatment issues and monitor ongoing progress. If medical detoxification or other medical intervention is needed, this is arranged immediately, on an inpatient or outpatient basis as indicated. The patient is then assigned to an appropriate level of care:

Day Treatment: a two-week intensive program, which the patient attends seven days per week, up to eight hours each day. In Day Treatment the patient participates in ongoing, comprehensive educational and process groups, homework exercises, and individual counseling, and is expected to become involved with community self-help groups. This is usually followed by seven consecutive days of Intensive Outpatient Groups.

Intensive Outpatient Program: an eight week, moderately intensive program of educational and process groups, which the patient attends at least four days per week for 2½ hours each day. The patient is able to choose (within certain parameters) from groups that meet seven days per week, mornings and evenings.

Continuing Treatment: an ongoing program for patients who have completed early recovery treatment. The patient attends at least one regular process group per week for up to 1½ years, attends sessions as scheduled with his individual therapist, and maintains a clean and sober lifestyle.

Early Intervention Program: an eight week program for those who are unsure whether they have a serious problem with chemicals, even though there is some evidence suggesting that they do. This program consists of at least one educational group and one process group per week, and is designed to help patients evaluate their relationship with addictive chemicals. If a patient decides at any time that the problem is indeed serious, he or she may transfer immediately to the appropriate level of treatment.

Family and Codependency Programs: a series of programs ranging from brief education for family members to intensive treatment for serious codependency issues. These programs are available to Health Plan members whether or not the chemically dependent person is in treatment.

Adolescent Treatment Program: a multilevel program designed to help adolescents and their parents evaluate the extent of their problems with psychoactive chemicals, to decide what steps they are willing to take to address these problems, and to provide more intensive treatment. The program includes adolescent groups, parent groups, multifamily groups, and individual and family sessions with a primary therapist.

Transitional Residential Recovery Services: a non-medical, social model residential recovery program that may be utilized by the treatment team for a period of time during ongoing treatment, for stabilization and support. This service is provided by contract in licensed recovery homes, and must be authorized by the CDRP Medical Director or Program Director utilizing specified admission criteria.

Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

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