Mental health disorders are serious conditions that can affect many aspects of daily life and functioning. When weekly therapy isn’t enough, the outpatient mental health treatment programs at Rubicon Mental Health Center can provide the structured support you need. Located in Watchung, NJ, we serve individuals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania with high-quality, evidence-based mental health care. Learn more about our outpatient mental health treatment, who it’s best for, and what to expect during the process.

Key Takeaways

• Outpatient mental health treatment provides structured mental health care that allows the patient to still have schedule flexibility.
• Outpatient care is ideal for people with mild to moderate mental health issues who need continuous support and can safely live independently.
• Rubicon Mental Health Center provides 3 levels of outpatient care, including a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Outpatient Program (OP).
• We use various therapies and modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), group therapy, and more.
• Outpatient mental health care may be covered by insurance under federal mental health parity laws.

Who Is Outpatient Mental Health Treatment For?

When it comes to mental health treatment, there are 2 main categories: outpatient and inpatient. Outpatient is when the individual still has the flexibility to tend to outside responsibilities, whereas inpatient is when a patient stays overnight and gets 24/7 monitoring. Outpatient care is best for people who:

• Have mental health issues that are affecting their everyday life
• Need structured support, but don’t require ongoing supervision
• Need more care than weekly therapy can provide
• Need to manage other responsibilities, such as work or taking care of children, at night

Outpatient care is often a suitable choice for people who need a higher level of support than weekly therapy can provide, but who can’t commit to an inpatient stay. It lets people continue their daily lives and apply what they learn in treatment to their lives when they’re not in sessions.

Signs You Need Professional Help

Many people with mental health disorders try to get through them on their own. They may believe their symptoms aren’t severe enough, treatment is too expensive, or they’re too busy to attend regular sessions. However, there often comes a point when professional outpatient treatment is the best option. Some signs that you may need professional help for a mental health disorder include:

• Overwhelming emotions: If you have persistent or excessive feelings of sadness, helplessness, emptiness, or worry that are affecting your daily functioning, professional help may be needed to help you with mood stabilization. Dealing with extreme mood swings can also be a sign that you need professional treatment.
• Behavioral changes: If you’re noticing that you’ve been isolating yourself from friends and family, losing interest in activities you’ve previously enjoyed, lacking motivation, or acting irritable or hostile, professional mental health treatment can help you restore balance and stability.
• Physical changes: If you’re dealing with physical changes, such as chronic fatigue, unexplained aches, sleeping disruptions, weight changes, or differences in eating patterns, they may be caused by an untreated mental health disorder. Getting professional treatment can help you adjust.
• Poor coping skills: If you are using maladaptive coping skills, such as using alcohol or drugs or engaging in other reckless behaviors to deal with your symptoms, it may be a sign you need professional help.

Whether you have a few or all of these signs, it’s best to get mental health treatment early. Don’t wait for it to get worse or reach a crisis.

What Are the Levels of Outpatient Care at Rubicon Mental Health Center?

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we specialize in providing outpatient mental health care for patients with various mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. We provide 3 main levels of outpatient care to meet patients where they are. They include:

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

The Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is our most intensive program. It runs for 5 days per week, with patients attending treatment for around 6 hours a day. The length of the program varies, but it generally lasts 30 to 45 days. It acts as a step up from intensive outpatient care and a step down from inpatient care. PHP is ideal for patients who:

• Have recently been discharged from inpatient programs and want a smooth transition
• Have severe mental health symptoms that affect their daily lives and functioning
• Are struggling with suicidal ideation
• Are dealing with acute mental health episodes, and can safely live independently     

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a middle ground between our PHP and Outpatient Program (OP). It runs for 3 hours a day, with patients attending treatment 3 to 5 days per week. It typically lasts for 10 to 12 weeks. The IOP is well suited for individuals who:

• Have moderate mental health symptoms that are impacting their functionality
• Need more structured, consistent support than weekly therapy provides
• Can safely live independently
• Are transitioning out of PHP or inpatient care

Outpatient Program (OP)

Our Outpatient Program (OP) is our least intensive program. It runs for 2 to 3 days a week, 1 hour a day. The program length varies, but it frequently lasts for several months. Although it is the lowest-level option, OP still provides more support than a weekly therapy session can offer. It’s beneficial for people with mild-to-moderate symptoms of a mental health disorder who want accountability, peer support, and multiple weekly check-ins.

All our programs are rooted in a threefold framework that helps address physical, mental, and spiritual health. They are run by a team of master’s-level mental health professionals, including clinicians, case workers, therapists, and psychiatric advanced practice nurses (APNs), who are passionate about improving the mental health of every patient.

What Does a Day in Outpatient Treatment Look Like?

Although every patient has a personalized care plan that will depend on their program choice, diagnosis, and many other factors, there are some similarities you can expect throughout treatment. Here’s what you can expect:

Day One

The first day of mental health treatment can be overwhelming, but we aim to make it as smooth and comfortable as possible. Day one typically includes:

• Undergoing a clinical assessment: We begin with a comprehensive consultation with a psychiatric provider or therapist to understand your mental health needs, symptoms, treatment goals, previous diagnoses, and more. This helps us gauge the level of care you need and ensure you’re in the correct program.
• Meeting our team: You will get to meet our team of master’s-level mental health professionals and support staff who are all committed to your growth.
• Reviewing your program details: We’ll go over the details of your chosen program, whether it’s PHP, IOP, or OP. Your treatment plan will be personalized to your unique needs.
• Discussing insurance and finances: Our team will verify your insurance coverage and benefits and discuss potential out-of-pocket costs, payment options, and other financial details so you’re not surprised down the road.
• Touring the facility: We’ll take a tour of our facility, exploring the treatment rooms and common areas, so you know where to go and what to expect.
• Answering any questions: We’ll answer any questions or concerns you have about scheduling, therapies and modalities, and more.

After your first day, you’ll have the information you need to move forward with clarity.

Average Day

An average day in treatment will depend on which program you’re in, as each option has different daily time requirements. However, it will typically be divided into sessions of individual therapy, group therapy, and other services, such as case management, pre-vocational assistance, or medication management. Family counseling sessions may also occur. If you’re in PHP, your days and weeks will be filled with more treatments and modalities than if you’re in IOP or OP.

What Conditions Do We Treat?

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we treat patients with a range of mental health disorders. They include:

• Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Schizophrenia

At our sister center, Rubicon Recovery Center, we provide treatment for patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). We also provide integrated dual diagnosis care for co-occurring mental health disorders and SUDs.

What Therapies and Modalities Do We Provide?

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we use a wide range of evidence-based therapies and modalities to treat patients with mental health disorders. They include:

Therapies

• Individual therapy: This can be performed with many different types of therapy, but it involves a one-on-one session between a patient and a mental health professional.
• Group therapy: This is a collaborative session with one or more therapists and a group of peers who discuss common themes, lessons, and strategies.
• Family counseling: This is a type of counseling that includes the patient’s family members to resolve conflicts, improve communication, and promote healing.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is a type of talk therapy that helps patients recognize negative thought patterns and behaviors, reframe them, and develop healthier coping skills to manage them.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): A subset of CBT, this type of talk therapy helps individuals with emotional dysregulation develop skills like mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): This type of therapy focuses on psychological flexibility, which helps individuals adapt to challenging experiences and make choices that align with their values.
• Motivational interviewing (MI): This is a counseling method that helps patients resolve insecurities and mixed feelings, develop internal motivation, and commit to behavioral changes without lecturing or confronting.
• Holistic healing and therapies: These are techniques that support the whole person, including meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and more.

Services

• Wellness recovery action planning (WRAP): This is a tailored, self-designed plan for individuals to use during mental health recovery. It helps them monitor symptoms, develop coping mechanisms, recognize triggers, and more.
• Illness management and recovery (IMR): This is a structured rehabilitation program for individuals with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. It provides strategies for managing symptoms and achieving recovery goals.
• Life skills development: This process helps people learn everyday, practical abilities that help them manage daily life. It typically includes things like communication, problem-solving, money management, and emotional control.
• Pre-vocational services: These services help individuals develop soft skills for working to help them bridge the gap between treatment and employment.
• Dual diagnosis treatment: This is an integrated treatment for people who have a co-occurring mental health disorder and a substance use disorder (SUD).
• Case management services: These services help connect individuals with mental health disorders with community-based medical, housing, and vocational resources.
• Medication management: This involves providing and monitoring medications, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications, to patients, when clinically appropriate, as part of their treatment.
• Alumni program: This is a form of aftercare support that provides previous patients a place to connect, share tips, and more.

Outpatient Mental Health Treatment: Insurance and Cost

If you’re wondering if outpatient mental health treatment is covered by insurance, you’re not the only one. Mental health care can be expensive, but insurance often covers some of the cost. Whether your insurance will cover treatment depends on your specific plan and benefits. However, mental health treatment is typically covered at least partially by insurance under federal mental health parity laws. These laws require that health insurance plans treat mental health conditions at the same level as physical health conditions.

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, we accept most major private insurance plans, including:

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• E.H.A.
• UnitedHealthcare

To help you determine your coverage, benefits, and probable out-of-pocket costs, we offer a free insurance verification process. Simply contact our Admissions Department by phone or at admissions@rubiconbhc.com for more information on insurance and cost.

How to Get Started with Outpatient Mental Health Treatment Near You in NJ, PA, & NY

Whether you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or another mental health condition, you can get better with outpatient treatment at Rubicon Mental Health Center. Serving individuals from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, we provide a comfortable and supportive environment for healing with a compassionate team of experienced mental health professionals.

Our mission is to meet patients where they are. We are flexible in accepting and supporting individuals who may not meet standard criteria, providing them with comprehensive care that adapts as their needs change. Through our outpatient programs, we help patients achieve stability, clarity, and balance, so they can improve their overall quality of life.

At Rubicon Mental Health Center, wellness is just a phone call away, and we’re here for you 24/7. Call (908)-678-1870 or contact us online today to learn more about our outpatient mental health treatment near you in Watchung, NJ.