ABOUT PROVIDENCE MEDICAL GROUP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH – Breakthrough – ANCHORAGE
Providence Health & Services is a nonprofit Catholic network of hospitals and clinics that treat individuals in six Alaskan communities. Providence Medical Group Behavioral Health in Anchorage, through its Breakthrough program, offers a continuum of group-based outpatient treatment to adults struggling with mental health substance use disorders. Inpatient care is available in the mental health unit of the nearby Providence Alaska Medical Center.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Providence Medical Group Behavioral Health’s Breakthrough program follows the medical model of addiction treatment and is rooted in 12-step principles. The outpatient facility offers a partial hospitalization program for up to 40 hours per week and an 18-week intensive outpatient program, which meets evenings for nine hours per week. A once-a-week relapse prevention, lecture-based course using the Gorski-Cenaps model runs for eight weeks.
Breakthrough also offers several specialized groups such as an intensive, 12-week GRACE group that meets once a week to address childhood trauma and family systems. A grief and loss group meets for 90 minutes each of 10 weeks.
After completing a Breakthrough program, clients can receive up to six months of continuing care. Several programs require a minimum of 30 days sober and completion of a family therapy program in addition to primary therapy.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Breakthrough therapists are certified in the field of addiction medicine. There is currently no other information provided by Providence Medical Group Behavioral Health regarding its addiction treatment staff. However, five of the six individuals polled to date by Best-rehabs.com approved of the staff’s level of training and experience, which garnered a rating of 3.5 out of five stars on average. “Very professional, experienced staff,” one alum wrote in a representative review.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
Two alumni have provided feedback to Best-rehabs.com for Providence Medical Group Behavioral Health to date. They agreed that treatment was effective, indicated by ratings of four and five stars, and each rated their likelihood to recommend the facility to others a maximum five stars.
Family participation, an area of prioritization on the facility’s website, received the same level of praise, while options in counseling approaches to fit client preferences fared more moderately with three stars apiece. Both alumni mentioned therapeutic modalities in their reviews that were not present on the facility’s website: suboxone treatment and an array of holistic offerings including pet and art therapy.
Nevertheless, both alumni also commented on an insufficient roster of activities during full-time treatment. “For the money spent, there should be more options and better food,” D.L. wrote, while an anonymous alum reported that there was “maybe a little too much free time.”
Opinions were split on the affordability of treatment.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
Three of the four loved ones polled by Best-rehabs.com would recommend Providence Medical Group Behavioral Health. The main concern of the fourth loved one was over-reliance on a religious approach to treatment.
Ratings for counseling options reflected shared dissatisfaction in this area, with an average of 2.75 stars out of five. Loved ones also rated family participation poorly or moderately. One agreed with alumni that activities were limited and two mentioned high costs as a weakness.
FINANCING
According to the Providence Health & Services website, Medicaid is accepted and staff will bill clients’ insurance when appropriate. Payment plans and discounts for uninsured clients are offered, along with a financial assistance program. No information specific to Providence Medical Group Behavioral Health or Breakthrough is available.