Clinical Options Toward Recovery (CORE)

Read the CORE Program’s 2022-2023 Annual Report

Outpatient Integrated Addictions or Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment serving adolescents, adults and families who are affected by substance use or co-occurring substance and mental health disorders.

Treatment Philosophy

The Clinical Options Toward Recovery (CORE) Program’s treatment approach to addictions is holistic in nature, and based on the bio-psychosocial perspective that views substance dependency, co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, and co-dependency as disease processes. We recognize that overcoming addiction is not a question of moral fiber or innate will power, but rather reflects a more complex developmental process of education, insight, behavioral change, and more importantly, a commitment to a new way of living. Treatment incorporates a strong emphasis on supportive individual and family psychotherapy. In addition, psycho-education coupled with an equally focused commitment to a 12 Step Philosophy offers individuals a structured environment that is designed to empower them to regain control of their lives. The CORE Program is firmly committed to helping those who suffer from addiction, co-dependency, and co-occurring disorders to achieve stability and abstinence, and to eventually rebuild healthy and fulfilling lives.

CORE is staffed by highly experienced professionals, including Certified Addictions Counselors, Licensed Master Level Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Psychiatrists.

What Services Are Provided?

  • Comprehensive drug and alcohol assessments are performed by experienced Addictions Counselors to determine specific treatment needs.
  • Outpatient Therapy (Individual, Family, Couples). Professional, confidential counseling is provided for individuals with drug and alcohol related issues and/or mental health disorders.
  • Co-Occurring Disorders. All of the above services are provided for individuals who have co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
  • Psychiatric Evaluation and Monitoring. Psychiatrists are on staff to evaluate the psychiatric needs of individuals with co-occurring disorders. Psychiatric Services include prescribing and monitoring medication when appropriate.
  • Our staff provides referrals to a wide range of services in the community.

How Much Does It Cost?

The CORE Program accepts Medical Assistance and many other insurance companies that provide coverage for outpatient substance abuse treatment. If you are a member of an HMO you can find out if you are eligible for services in CORE by calling your insurance company. We offer a sliding fee scale for individuals without insurance coverage.

Who To Call?

For more information or an appointment: Call (610) 279-9270 and ask for a CORE Intake Worker. All inquiries are confidential.

Senior Intensive Support

Formerly called Senior Care Case Management, Central’s Senior Intensive Support (SIS) Team, in collaboration with Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Senior Services, will work with you to provide emotional support and resource coordination. Our SIS team will work side by side with you to increase socialization, build relationships, complete housing referrals, provide medication monitoring and environmental management. Our goal is to support you in meeting your needs while allowing you to remain in your home ensuring that you can thrive independently in the community.

  • Are you 60 years of age or older, reside in Montgomery County and find yourself struggling to care for your daily needs?
  • Do you find yourself needing support obtaining food, managing medication, completing daily activities, or managing your finances?
  • Do you wish to be connected to supports to help assist you with maintaining an active and rewarding life?

For more information on how SIS can support you or a loved one contact:

Norristown Location:

(610) 277-4600, Option 1, Extension 249

1100 Powell Street

Norristown, PA 19401

SIS Referral Form – Norristown

Abington Location:

(267) 818-2220

2500 Maryland Road

Dixon Building, Suite 130

Willow Grove, PA 19090

SIS Referral Form – Abington

*This program is funded by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Service – Office of Senior Services

Senior Outreach Services (SOS)

At Central, our Senior Outreach Services (SOS) team is supported by a psychiatrist, SOS Coordinator and licensed clinical social worker. The SOS team will  visit with you in your home to discuss how you are feeling and explore with you how best we can support your emotional needs.

  • Are you 60 years of age or older and struggling with mental health concerns?
  • Have you been diagnosed with dementia, depression, anxiety, paranoia or substance abuse and do not know where to turn for help?
  • Are you home-bound and unable to meet regularly with a psychiatrist or counseling therapist?

Central can help. Central’s SOS program supports seniors 60 year and older who are home-bound and struggling with mental health concerns. Our psychiatrist will work side by side with you in your home to manage your symptoms while working closely with the SOS Coordinator to connect you to services for support. Should you feel you would benefit from counseling, our licensed clinical social worker will meet with you in your home weekly or bi-weekly to provide you with counseling support. Our SOS team will help you create a network of community support and provide resources to the care givers in your life. SOS services are available in the Norristown and Abington areas of Pennsylvania.

For more information please contact Central’s Intake at:

(610) 279-9270

OASIS Program

OASIS is a partial hospital program tailored to meet the needs of the older adult with behavioral health and co-occurring challenges.  Special focus is placed on both problems arising from the aging process and the wisdom resulting from a multitude of life experiences. The OASIS program aims to implement interventions through various modalities and to maximize and improve an individual’s emotional, behavioral and physical health. In addition, the program works with older adult clients to assist as they develop and restore their resiliency and achieve personal fulfillment. Our goal is to help older adults prevent premature institutionalization by supporting the individual in living as independently as possible within the community.  OASIS utilizes treatment approaches to reduce symptoms and behaviors that are troublesome and distressing for both the individual and the caregiver.  Our program and staff promote a sense of independence, self-reliance and well-being.  We help the individual create an ongoing network of community supports. Our therapeutic groups are designed to meet these goals, increase social interaction and improve the individual’s sense of self-worth and competence.  Additionally, each person is assigned a therapist who develops an individualized plan which is the focus of treatment and is regularly reviewed with the individual.  Each person’s unique treatment plan is also overseen by the OASIS Program psychiatrist, who develops an appropriate medication intervention and maintains a link with involved general medical practitioners.

Treatment at OASIS is addressed in a 6-hour therapeutic day which may be attended from 1 to 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Group therapy topics include: Personal recovery issues, Grief and loss, Improving depression, Maintaining sobriety and stability, Exercise for the mind, Reminiscing group, Physical wellness, Wellness through art, Social Skills group, Wellness through music, and more!

Referrals

Individuals interested in the OASIS program will first complete an intake assessment in our Outpatient facility. Individuals must be at least 60 years of age or older, living in eastern or central Montgomery County, have a history of behavioral health issues/substance abuse or use and experiencing difficulty due to increase in symptoms, have the ability to interact with others and participate in a group therapy environment, ambulatory and able to manage their physical needs with minimal assistance. Call our Outpatient & Intake Services office to schedule your confidential intake appointment today.

Location

Central’s Main Office

Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS)

Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS)

Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) is replacing BHRS formerly known as wraparound services. IBHS provides supports for children, youth or young adults under the age of 21 with mental, emotional or behavioral health needs. To qualify to receive IBHS the child, youth or young adults must have a behavioral health disorder diagnosis. Services can be provided in the home, school or other community setting. IBHS offers a wide array of services that meet the needs of these individuals in their homes, schools, and communities.

What are the steps for my child to receive IBHS?

  • Obtain a written order from an individual with a qualifying license.
  • An individual with a qualifying license can be: Physician, Physician’s Assistant, Family doctor, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Licensed clinical social worker, Licensed professional counselor, Licensed marriage and family therapist
  • Give the written order to an IBHS provider to begin providing services to your child.
  • IBHS will then begin with the assessment of your child’s strengths and challenges, the strengths and needs of your family, existing and needed supports for your child and what you need to help your child.
  • The written order and assessment will be used to develop your child’s Individual Treatment Plan (ITP). Your child’s ITP includes the goals of your child’s services and the people who are responsible for helping to implement each ITP goal.

IBHS Acronym list:

BC – Behavior consultation

BHT – Behavioral health technician

MT – Mobile therapy

Referrals

To make a referral, call our IBHS Intake coordinator @ 484-806-2044.

Anyone can make a referral: school personnel, mental health professionals, family members, etc..

Location

Family Services

Family Based Services (FBS)

Central’s Family Based Services (FBS) program is designed to provide community based therapy and support services to children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems.  FBS provides therapy in a family’s home and community by a two-person team for children under 21 years of age under the supervision of a Program Director. At least one parent or guardian must be willing to participate in the program and the child and family must be experiencing difficulties serious enough to warrant intervention from our Family Based Services program. Family Based Services must be recommended by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist due to a child or adolescent being at risk of out of home placement due to serious emotional distress or behavioral issues.

Treatment is delivered to both the individual and the family to help cultivate an environment that keeps a child in the home.  Teams will meet with the child and family multiple times per week to help cultivate skills. The goal of the program is to increase caregivers’ ability to remain effective and regulated while also increasing the emotional and behavioral stability of the children. The function of FBS is to assist families with maintaining their child in the home rather than in a psychiatric or residential facility.

Using a systemic and relational approach, treatment focuses around:

  • Building family support through an ecosystem.
  • Working with the family to help promote the needs of the child while navigating various services.
  • Creating an environment for positive attachments between child and caregiver.
  • Focusing on emotional regulation.
  • Promoting structure and consistency in the household.

Services include:

  • Intensive Family Therapy
  • 24/7 Crisis Management
  • Case Management Component
  • Advocacy for the family

Referrals

The identified client (child or young adult) must be 21 years or younger, at risk for out-of-home placement (juvenile detention, OCY, psychiatric hospitalization and residential placement), a Montgomery County resident, and have medical/behavioral health insurance coverage through Magellan.

Central Behavioral Health Brochure – Family Based Services

Location

Family Services

Children’s Case Management

Children’s Case Management Services are provided through various levels of care which include Blended Case Management (BCM), and Administrative Case Management (ACM). These programs are designed to reduce hospitalizations and avoid out of home placements for children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral and/or substance abuse problems. They promote family integration by providing assistance in coordinating appropriate mental health services and facilitating communication among treatment members. In addition, when a child or adolescent is enrolled in Blended Case Management services, he/she is assigned to a specific case manager.

Central Behavioral Health Brochure – Children’s Blended Case Management

BCM Referral Application

Services

Children’s Case Management Services partner with the client and his/her family to coordinate, facilitate, or provide:

  • Family/Community Supports – Income Supports & Entitlements
  • Mental Health Treatment – Socialization/Peer Supports
  • Advocacy – Information & Referrals
  • Crisis Intervention – Physical Healthcare
  • Addressing Housing Needs – 24/7 On Call (Blended only)

For more information about how to connect your child to Case Management Service please call us at 610-277-4600.

Eligibility

Any Montgomery County resident under 21year old and still enrolled in school, living in Central Montgomery County and surrounding communities (Norristown, Conshohocken, Bridgeport, Lafayette Hill, King of Prussia) and being treated for emotional and/or behavioral problems is eligible for this service. Typically, eligible children and adolescents have many systems (Office of Children and Youth (OCY), Juvenile Probation Office (JPO), Special Education programs, Developmentally Disabled) involved and are prone to crisis.

Funding

There is no cost to the individual receiving Case Management Services; these programs are funded through federal, state, and county resources. If you have a child or adolescent you would like to refer to our Children’s Case Management program, please call our Child & Young Adult Services office. All calls are confidential.

Location

Child & Young Adult Services

Transition to Independence Process (TIP)

Life is a journey, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you are between the ages of 16 to 26, Central’s TIP Program can help navigate the road towards independence. TIP is an empirically supported model developed to work with young people experiencing emotional and/or behavioral difficulties.  TIP works to engage and support young people with the planning process for their future across five transition domains; Educational Opportunities, Living Situation, Employment and Career, Community Life Functioning, and Personal Effectiveness and Wellbeing.

TIP provides a great deal of flexibility and works to engage young people through relationship development, person-centered planning, and a focus on the young person’s future.  Services and supports are tailored to be accessible, appealing, non-stigmatizing, and developmentally appropriate, and will build upon strengths to support the young people in pursuing their goals across the five transition domains.  Personal choice and social responsibility are acknowledged and developed, and personal competencies will be enhanced to support the young people in greater self-sufficiency and confidence.  TIP will work to ensure that a safety net of support to include informal and formal key players in the young person’s life will be in place.  TIP will maintain an outcome focus and will involve young people, parents, and community partners at the practice, program, and community levels.  TIP provides frequent contact with the youth, typically weekly.

Central Behavioral Health Brochure – Transition to Independence Process

More information can be found at www.TipStars.org.

Eligibility

Adolescents and young adults ages 16-26 with emotional and/or behavioral health needs, who have a mental health disorder and medical assistance will be eligible.

Anyone can make a referral on behalf of the young person utilizing the TIP Referral Form.  It is encouraged that the referral be discussed with the young person to ensure that they are interested in exploring TIP services.

TIP works collaboratively with all other key players involved in the young person’s life.  Certain services, including Case Management (Recovery Coaching, BCM, D&A ICM), High Fidelity Wraparound, RTF, Therapeutic Foster Care, Family Based Services, ACT, and MST are considered a duplication of services with TIP.  However, each young person’s needs will be evaluated, and exceptions may be made based on those needs.

Referral

Contact Central to get set up with a TIP facilitator at our Child & Young Adult Services office. For your convenience please reference the TIP Facts Sheet and TIP Referral.

MY LIFE MONTCO is a fun and inspiring group for youth between the ages of 13 and 23 who have experience with mental health, substance use, foster care, and/or other challenges.

MY LIFE’s monthly events feature inspirational speakers, uplifting entertainment, fun activities, free food and information on a variety of topics important to youth. Check-out the next My Life event Stay at Home with MyLife Event

Location

Child & Young Adult Services

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

The Intensive Outpatient Program is a group therapy program for people with persistent or recurrent co-occurring disorders that require a more intensive level of care due to symptoms. This could be due to an acute phase of the disorder and/or crisis or transition from an inpatient facility to a community setting. The program is tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual, especially those with co-occurring challenges (behavioral health issues and substance use/abuse history). In an effort to target the various needs of our diverse population of individuals, we have developed several IOP tracks. These tracks are General Adult Population, Life Skills Enhancement, and Co-occurring IOP and includes group therapy topics that were developed to help those individuals move closer towards their identified goals. A consumer can choose to attend one group per week or attend a three hour session several times per week, based on one’s current needs. The goal of the IOP is to empower participants to support their own recovery, cope more effectively, prevent relapse and strengthen social relationships through group therapy.

Our program offers a wide array of group therapy topics such as Trauma groups, Co-Occurring groups, Music Therapy, Creative Expressions, and Wellness groups. We provide a “Women’s Group” and a “Men’s group” for individuals who may have a preference to work through more difficult, sensitive issues with peers of the same gender. In addition, we offer a Grief and Loss Group, Emotional Regulation Group, Personal Issues Group, Understanding Mental Health Group, Relapse Prevention Group, Women’s Empowerment Group, Stress Management Group, DBT Skills Group and Self-care Group.

Referrals

Individuals  (18 years of age and older) living in central and eastern Montgomery County who are interested in joining the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and attending one or more of the groups they have available can call to schedule an intake at our Outpatient department. Contact an intake worker at our Outpatient & Intake Services building. If the individual is currently receiving other services from Central, you can schedule an IOP intake by calling Central’s Main Office.

Location

Central’s Main Office

Certified Peer Specialist (CPS)

At Central, we offer peer support services to individuals who qualify and live within the boundaries of Central and Eastern Montgomery County. We provide CPS services to individuals with many different needs that can benefit from extra support and guidance. A CPS offers assistance and resources and are able to relate their experiences while walking side by side with people that are on a path of recovery. In addition, CPS’s are able to support individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders that may interfere with whole health recovery.

The CPS Generalist offers individuals support with a general goal oriented recovery plan. This may include maintaining ongoing recovery, community activities, integration, socialization, or extending guidance to someone towards the direction of other services. The CPS Generalist instills hope for recovery, encourages self-advocacy, peer choice and personal responsibility.

Our CPS Career Specialists support individuals preparing to return to the workforce and seek employment.  This includes support for building a resume, completing online applications, preparing for an interview connecting the applicant with current employers who are hiring, and understanding how future employment will affect current benefits. The career peer specialist can support the individual with managing their health and wellness to secure and maintain employment. They can discuss the advantages to gaining a job and how to utilize educational resources to further enhance career choices.

The Older Adult CPS provides community based supports for Older Adults (60 years and older) to help create a network of natural supports and to decrease isolation.  This CPS service can foster hope for an older adult by helping to create meaning in a person’s life.

Referrals

Individuals eligible for peer support services have a serious mental illness with moderate to severe functional impairments in those areas supported by the team as indicated above. Their treatment history will indicate past hospitalization(s), past encounters with the mobile crisis unit, a history of attending community mental health or prison psychiatric services, and/or difficulty maintaining consistency in previous behavioral health treatment. Referrals can be initiated by another behavioral health professional, however, a physician, psychiatrist or licensed psychologist will review and recommend this service for the individual.

https://www.centralbh.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Process-for-Completing-CPS-Referral-Form.pdf

https://www.centralbh.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/CPS-Referral.pdf

Location

Central’s Main Office

Abington Area Services