What Is Level 1 Mental Health Treatment?
Mental health refers to the functioning of one's decision making skills, coping skills and emotional responses in relation to their environment. When a person encounters a mental health problem, such as depression or bipolar disorder, they find themselves deciding on a treatment option.-
What Determines Level of Care?
-
Level of care for a person suffering with a mental health problem are based on three ideas: how severe the illness is, an assessment of service intensity and any other factors that may be important to the treatment of the individual.
Level 1 Treatment Guidelines
-
In order to qualify for level 1 treatment, a person must meet several guidelines. All levels of medical need must be present. The individual must have stated that she needs help coping with the symptoms of her mental illness. The functionality of the individual must be affected by the symptoms. Finally, the individual must want treatment and be willing to work with a professional to get treatment.
Level 1 Treatment Options
-
Individuals participating in level 1 treatment of their mental health problem can choose between family therapy, individual therapy, group therapy and/or medication if needed.
Guidelines for Continuing Treatment
-
In order to continue to treatment beyond the initial sessions, a person must, with help, develop a treatment plan for the disorder with goals that are realistic. The person must continue to have symptoms or have developed new symptoms that need to be addressed.
Discharge From Level 1 Treatment
-
In order to be discharged from level 1 treatment, the continued care guidelines should no longer apply. Both the therapist and the individual should agree that the goals of treatment have been met. The individual may refuse to participate in treatment, but pose no harm to herself or others. Another reason for discontinuing treatment is the individual's treatment history proves that further treatment will make little to no difference in the person's recovery from symptoms.
-