ABOUT EAST ALABAMA MENTAL HEALTH CENTER
Headquartered in Opelika, Ala., East Alabama Mental Health Center delivers a wide slate of behavioral health services to adults, adolescents, and children. As part of its offering, the clinic provides intensive outpatient program (IOP) treatment to adults struggling with substance abuse and specialized outpatient counseling to adolescents with substance use problems. Court-ordered programming also is available.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
East Alabama Mental Health Center’s IOP for substance abuse treatment serves adults and their families. It is designed to provide clients with tools and coping skills for dealing with stress in a healthy, sober manner. The IOP curriculum emphasizes the importance of familial support and encourages loved ones to participate in treatment. According to the center’s website, pregnant women are given priority for admission into the IOP.
The facility runs a separate outpatient substance abuse treatment program for adolescents ages 13 to 17. Prior to admission, all youth participate in an assessment to determine whether they are appropriate for outpatient treatment. Clients who are admitted spend 12 weeks participating in individual, group, and family counseling, as well as process groups, and life skills education. Case managers work with each client and their family members, often administering home visits and other services. Clients who complete the program are eligible for three months of continuing care, which includes case management, support groups, and youth activities.
The organization operates a Court Referral Program for the Lee and Chambers County courts, which serves individuals who have been convicted of drug and alcohol offenses. The facility also runs a Youth Empowerment Program (YEP), which provides substance abuse prevention education for adolescents referred by schools or Juvenile Court.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
According to its website, East Alabama Mental Health Center employs psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurses, therapists, and case managers. The treatment staff is largely master’s level professionals, including the director of the substance abuse services program.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
The IOP for adult substance abuse treatment is conducted at the facility’s Opelika Addictions Center at 2300 Center Hills Dr., Building 1. The Court Referral Program is at the same location and the adolescent substance abuse treatment program is housed in Building II.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
An anonymous alum polled by Best-rehabs.com to date offered positive feedback about East Alabama Mental Health Center. The former client wrote that they would highly recommend the facility to others and provided ratings of five out of five stars for a number of evaluated metrics, including the program’s treatment effectiveness, counseling options, the staff’s level of training and experience, family participation, connectivity, and affordability. This former client also awarded four out of five stars for accommodations/amenities, meals/nutrition, holistic offerings, exercise and leisure activities, and the facility’s cleanliness. “Very caring No complaints at this time Just do what they say,” the reviewer commented.
WHAT STAFF SAY
On Indeed, employees who submitted reviews about East Alabama Mental Health Center at the time of this writing provided generally positive opinions. [1] The Opelika facility received an average rating of 3.8 out of five stars from 13 staff members. Of the total, eight reviews were five and four stars and the remaining five reviews were three and two stars. Multiple respondents remarked favorably about the environment and working with clients. “The most enjoyable part of my job was learnig from the clients and teaching them,” one reviewer wrote. Another staff member highlighted the “Great atmosphere the consumers, employees, and staff members.” Negative feedback concerned low pay rates, management self-interest, and interpersonal issues with fellow staff members.
FINANCING
According to East Alabama Mental Health Center’s website, treatment fees are based on each individual’s income. Additionally, both public and private insurance is accepted.
[1]https://www.indeed.com/cmp/East-Alabama-Mental-Health/reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Opelika%2C+AL