Setting Treatment Goals in a PHP

How can treatment goals in a PHP help you track progress and optimize your recovery experience? Find out here.

What are Treatment Goals in a PHP?

Treatment goals in a PHP outline the path to recovery. They provide direction, purpose, and motivation for your treatment. Goals are set to help effectively address mental health concerns, track and maintain progress throughout recovery, and achieve a healthier life.

treatment goals in a PHP

Comparing PHP Goals with Other Treatment Modalities

Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) have unique treatment goals that set them apart from other treatment modalities. In this article, we’ll examine how treatment goals in a PHP compare to those in inpatient and outpatient programs.

PHP vs. Inpatient Programs

Inpatient care involves staying full-time at a facility with constant supervision. It’s for acute conditions needing immediate, continuous care. The goals here are more about stabilization, managing severe symptoms, and safety.
Treatment goals in a PHP focus on independence and coping in a less restrictive setting. Individuals receive intensive care during the day but spend evenings at home. This lets you apply therapy skills in daily life.
Treatment goals in a PHP balance intensive treatment with practical life skills. This helps to ease the transition back to normal life.

PHP vs. Outpatient Programs

Outpatient programs are less intensive. They occur less frequently and usually only last about an hour. They suit those needing minimal support. Outpatient goals focus on long-term management, stability, and relapse prevention.

Treatment goals in a PHP are more intensive, with therapy hours often equivalent to a full-time job. This means quicker progress in managing symptoms and coping skills. PHP goals also include long-term strategies but with a shorter timeframe for achieving them.

Unique Aspects of PHP Treatment Goals

Treatment goals in a PHP are unique in their blend of intensity and flexibility. They combine inpatient care’s comprehensiveness with outpatient care’s real-life applicability. This allows for a nuanced treatment approach.
A PHP also bridges the two extremes of inpatient and outpatient care. It caters to those who need more care than is provided in an outpatient setting but less than that of an inpatient setting.

Customization of Treatment Goals in PHP

A partial hospitalization program team should understand that everyone has their own background and challenges. Our Continuum Outpatient Center team understands and abides by the notion that treatment goals in a PHP aren’t just set standards. They are tailored to fit the individual’s specific needs and circumstances.

Assessing Participants' Unique Conditions

Tailoring treatment goals in a PHP starts with a thorough assessment. This process looks beyond just symptoms.
It examines your:1
  • Physical health: Any medical conditions or physical limitations that may affect treatment
  • Mental health history: Past psychiatric diagnoses, medication use, and any previous therapy experiences
  • Social support: The level of support available from family, friends, and community
  • Personal history and experiences: Trauma, substance use, and any other relevant life events
This in-depth assessment leads to personalized treatment goals. Individuals might work on managing anxiety triggers or substance use recovery. Or, if social isolation is an issue, goals might include improving social skills or community involvement.

Role of the Treatment Team

In a PHP, the treatment team works together to provide comprehensive care and support. This team typically includes a psychiatrist, therapist, nurse, dietitian, and other specialists as needed.
Setting treatment goals in a PHP is a joint effort. The treatment team collaborates with the client to determine the treatment program. This includes the individual’s strengths, challenges, and personal objectives. This team approach makes sure the goals are relevant and tailored to you.
Once goals are set, the team monitors patient progress. They regularly assess the individual’s progress toward their goals. This progress is monitored throughout the treatment program. Additionally, the treatment team can pivot goals along the way to account for an individual’s unique healing journey.

Participant Involvement in Goal Setting

In a PHP, the individual is an active participant in setting their treatment goals. This approach is based on the empowerment model, which recognizes that clients can take control of their own recovery.
The empowerment model in a PHP ensures goals suit the client’s needs, preferences, and circumstances. It values individual autonomy and sees client insights as crucial to treatment. For example, individuals may have goals related to work, family, or personal growth.

Encouraging Active Participation

Active participation in PHP goal setting goes beyond stating preferences. It means engaging in discussions, exploring options, and understanding outcomes. This helps create goals that are clinically sound and personally meaningful.
Being actively involved, you understand your treatment better and feel a sense of ownership over recovery. You have a say in what matters to you and feel motivated to work towards those goals.

Treatment Goals in a PHP: Core Components of PHP Treatment Goals

Treatment goals in a PHP are designed to support overall mental health and wellness. This includes addressing any immediate concerns, such as managing symptoms or reducing harmful behaviors. It also focuses on long-term recovery and building a healthier lifestyle.

Mental Health and Wellness Objectives

These programs tackle both immediate and long-term issues. This means the priority is to address the symptoms of the condition. They aim to lessen symptoms, improve emotional control, and boost coping skills.
Wellness objectives in a PHP go beyond symptom control. They include better sleep, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and mindfulness. These goals encourage a balanced lifestyle. This supports overall mental health and reduces relapse risks.2

Overall Recovery Goals

Overall recovery goals in a PHP are broad, promoting resilience and independence. They’re not just about overcoming current issues. They also build skills for future challenges. These include enhancing social skills, improving relationships, and boosting communication.
Preparing for post-program life is also vital in a PHP. This means setting up a support network, planning ongoing therapy, and creating health-promoting routines. The goal is to provide tools and resources for sustained health and crisis prevention.

Setting Realistic and Achievable Targets

Treatment goals in a PHP are designed to be achievable and realistic. This means they consider the individual’s needs, abilities, and current situation. The focus is on small steps that lead to big improvements.
SMART principles are often used in recovery. These are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives. This model helps to ensure that treatment targets are clear and measurable.3
SMART can target areas including:

Coping Skills

Coping skills are tools that help individuals process triggers or challenges in the moment. Examples can include:
  • Attend a support group at least once per week for the duration of the program
  • Use positive self-talk in at least one anxious situation per day for three weeks
  • Practice deep breathing exercises for five minutes each day for a month

Symptom Management

Examples of SMART Goals for symptom management include:
  • Reduce the frequency of panic attacks from 3 times per week to once per week within the next two months
  • Increase sleep duration from 5 hours to 7 hours per night by implementing a bedtime routine and practicing relaxation techniques before bed
  • Learn and regularly practice a grounding exercise to manage dissociation episodes when triggered

Interpersonal Relationships

Goals can also address interpersonal relationships. Some examples include:
  • Initiate at least one social interaction per week with a friend or family member during the program
  • Set boundaries and communicate needs effectively in a relationship with a significant other by the end of the program
  • Attend couples therapy sessions with a partner once per week for two months to improve communication and address conflicts

Overall Well-Being

Goals may strive to set healthy habits for better overall well-being. These goals may include:
  • Develop a self-care routine and incorporate at least three activities per week for the duration of the program
  • Monitor mood daily using a mood tracker app and implement coping strategies when experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety
  • Set aside a designated time each day for relaxation and stress-relieving activities such as yoga, meditation, or reading

Measuring Progress

Setting and measuring benchmarks is key to tracking progress. Benchmarks in a PHP are specific, measurable goals that act as checkpoints.
Various tools assess these benchmarks in a PHP. These include:
  • Clinical Assessments: Tools like questionnaires measure specific symptoms or wellness aspects
  • Therapeutic Feedback: Observations and input from the treatment team
  • Self-Reports: Individuals’ insights about their feelings and experiences.
Generally, evaluations occur at regular intervals during your treatment. This could be monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually. The specific frequency depends on the PHP and individual progress.

Treatment Goals in a PHP: Setting and Adapting Goals Over Time

Treatment goals in a PHP are regularly re-evaluated and adjusted. This reflects the client’s changing needs and progress. Initially, these goals are set knowing they might evolve during treatment.
The treatment plan is adaptable. Early goals might focus on managing acute symptoms or achieving stabilization. As the person progresses, goals may shift to developing coping strategies, enhancing life skills, or preparing for life post-PHP.

Adapting to Participant Progress

As clients advance in recovery, the team reassesses goals to keep them relevant and challenging. For instance, if a person has improved in managing depression, the focus may shift to resilience or social relationships.

This adaptation is about responding to the client’s growth. It requires ongoing communication between the client and the treatment team. Individual feedback and experiences are crucial in guiding these adjustments.

Towards the end of the program, goals might include a relapse prevention plan, ongoing support resources, or applying learned skills in daily life. These are long-term objectives that encourage continued growth.

Treatment Goals in a PHP: Addressing Co-occurring Conditions and Complex Needs

Co-occurring conditions, or having multiple diagnoses, are common in individuals seeking mental health treatment. It’s important to address these complex needs as part of a comprehensive approach to treatment.

Integrated Treatment Approaches

An integrated treatment approach is used for these cases. This means if you have multiple issues, like a mental health condition and a substance use disorder, the treatment addresses them all simultaneously.4
For example, untreated mental health issues can complicate substance abuse recovery, and vice versa. Thus, treatment goals in a PHP for complex cases aim for overall healing, considering all health aspects.

Strategies for Complex Cases

For complex cases in a PHP, treatment approaches are diverse. They mix various therapies and interventions suited to the individual’s needs. This might include medication management, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and group support to tackle both mental health and substance abuse.
Another strategy is the sequential approach. Here, one condition is focused on first, based on its severity and overall health impact. Other conditions are still addressed but in a strategically effective sequence.

Multi-disciplinary Approach

A multi-disciplinary approach is vital in a PHP for co-occurring conditions. This involves a team of experts working together. The team might include a psychiatrist for medication, a therapist for counseling, and others like social workers for different aspects of care.
In a PHP, treatment goals under a multi-disciplinary approach are set collaboratively. The team ensures every condition is addressed. The plan is cohesive and comprehensive. Regular meetings review progress, challenges, and any needed plan changes.

Treatment Goals in a PHP: Empowering Participants through Psychoeducation

Psychoeducation covers topics from mental health basics to treatment specifics and wellness maintenance strategies.5
Psychoeducation in a PHP primarily boosts understanding of your mental health condition. This understanding is vital. It helps you recognize symptoms, triggers, and relapse signs. It empowers you to take steps towards well-being.

Involve Family and Friends

Educational sessions are also open for friends, family members, and caregivers. They learn about your condition, how they can help you cope, and what boundaries to set. Involving families and friends in this process is especially helpful for co-occurring disorders.
Besides understanding and engagement, psychoeducation in a PHP offers coping and management tools. It teaches practical skills like stress management, relaxation, and problem-solving. These skills are key for daily mental health challenges and long-term wellness.
treatment goals in a PHP

Treatment Goals in a PHP: How Continuum Can Help

If you’re considering joining a PHP, we can provide the necessary support and resources to help you achieve your goals. Our San Antonio, Texas, team of dedicated professionals will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that fits your specific needs.
At Continuum Outpatient Center, we prioritize your well-being and recovery. We offer a safe and supportive environment where you can actively participate in setting goals and making progress toward them.

What We Offer

You can expect compassionate care, evidence-based treatments, and customized support every step of the way. We offer a variety of approaches to suit your individual needs. We tailor your treatment plan to maximize the effectiveness of your care.

Join Us at Continuum

If you’re ready to take control of your mental health and work towards a happier, healthier life, we invite you to join us at Continuum. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can support you.

Questions About Treatment?
Reach out to our knowledgeable and compassionate Continuum Outpatient Center team for the guidance and support you need for sustainable recovery. We’re here to help you build a foundation for long-term happiness, wellness, and healing.