ABOUT MONARCH – BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
Serving more than three dozen counties in North Carolina, Monarch is one of the largest behavioral health providers in the state. The nonprofit’s Albemarle location, about an hour east of Charlotte, offers a full range of walk-in, outpatient, and in-home psychiatric support services for adults and youth.
The Albemarle location also serves as Monarch’s administrative office and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For adults, short-term medical detoxification and crisis services are provided at other locations throughout the agency.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Following its belief “in providing the help people need when they request it,” Monarch allows for walk-in appointments through its Open Access model of care. The program is unique insofar that it enables individuals to be seen by a therapist for a comprehensive assessment, develop a treatment plan, and receive prescription medication, if necessary, all on the same day.
Peer support specialists (PSS) take a hands-on, mentor-like approach in helping adults manage their own mental health or substance addiction recovery. Having at least one year without crisis, relapse, or inpatient care, these specialists help adults find their own path to recovery as many have learnt to overcome similar challenges in their own lives.
Monarch in Albemarle also provides in-home services for youth with complex family needs that can’t be addressed in a traditional outpatient setting. Available in two forms – in-home therapy services (INHTS) and intensive in-home services – these services help children, teens, and young adults between the ages of three and 21 and their families develop adequate problem-solving skills and connect with the supportive community resources, ultimately preventing the need for inpatient treatment.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Monarch employs a team of state-certified peer support specialists, psychiatrists, and professional counselors and therapists. Per the agency’s webpage, “staff are available around the clock” to work with youth and families in need.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
An anonymous respondent of a Best-rehabs.com survey gave their respective program five stars for its effectiveness, as well as four stars for its staff’s level of training and experience, the counseling options available, and the treatment for co-occurring disorders, amongst other categories. In their written feedback, they listed “group counseling” as a facility strength.
Two Google reviewers gave Monarch a four- and two-star rating, respectively, though neither left additional written commentary.
WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY
The single loved one surveyed by Best-rehabs.com was much more critical. The anonymous reviewer felt that staff were “rude, disorganized, & unprofessional” and that participants could’ve been made to feel more comfortable. “There needs to be some trust in their caregivers & within themselves,” they noted.
FINANCING
Monarch suggests that prospective clients call and ask if Medicaid is accepted before making an appointment with a mental health professional. Those unable to pay in full may be eligible for discounted rates under a sliding fee scale.