ABOUT SOUTHEAST ALABAMA MEDICAL CENTER
Located in the small city of Dothan, Ala., Southeast Alabama Medical Center (SAMC) serves the communities of southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle. The not-for-profit hospital’s behavioral health unit offers a variety of services for individuals struggling with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Available programs include inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment (OP), and partial hospitalization (PHP). Individuals must be at least 19 years old to enroll in inpatient treatment and PHP, but OP services are available to both adults and adolescents ages 13 and older.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
According to the facility’s website, SAMC’s inpatient program is short-term and designed to stabilize clients who are in crisis and help them develop self-confidence and problem-solving skills. Patients are monitored 24 hours a day and engage in a mix of individual, group, and family therapy. Medication is prescribed as necessary, and clients are provided with discharge planning and recommendations for aftercare.
SAMC’s PHP program may be used as a step-down from inpatient care or a stand-alone treatment for individuals who require more support than traditional outpatient programs provide. Individuals enrolled at this level of care receive addiction education and participate in individual therapy, family therapy, and process groups that cover topics including gender-specific issues, anger management, social issues, and cognitive behavioral strategies. Clients may also receive medication management and be asked to submit to random drug screenings. Programming runs Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The center’s outpatient services are similar to its PHP program, but treatment is offered at a lesser intensity and incorporates ongoing mental health assessments.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
According to the facility’s website, SAMC’s 24-hour hospital staff includes board-certified psychiatrists, licensed professional counselors, nurses, social workers, and other clinical personnel.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Treatment is administered in a hospital unit and, therefore, potential patients can expect a clinical setting. SAMC describes its environment as “safe” and “secure,” indicating that residents may encounter restrictive policies. The two alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing rated the center’s accommodations with four and five stars, based on a scale of one to five stars. The facility’s cleanliness also received four- and five-star ratings.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
The two alumni polled by Best-rehabs.com at the time of this writing provided mostly positive reviews, and each gave the center’s treatment effectiveness a four-star rating. Both respondents were less impressed with the facility’s holistic offerings and exercise and leisure options, which they awarded average or below-average ratings. S.J.W., one of the alumni, told Best-rehabs.com that the “overall treatment was good.” The other anonymous alum noted that there was “no outside access or individual crisis therapy,” but that the staff were “patient and informed.”
FINANCING
According to its website, SAMC participates in most major health insurance networks, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Cigna. Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare are also accepted, and some financial assistance is available to those who qualify.