Are You Ready for a Change and Need Help?

How to access outpatient, detox, Inpatient, and transitional Housing in recovery Work—From Assessment and paying to healing

If you or a loved one are struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, in can be very scary and confusing and trying to get help should be easy and accessible. Knowing where to start can connect you with caring, compassionate behavioral health professionals who can assist you with your recovery support needs. At Lac Courte Oreilles there is no wrong door. You can reach out to your doctor or nurse, your pharmacist, your dentist, your WIC nurse or Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic. Whoever you reach out to will link you with LCOCHC Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic for an assessment and resources. Behavioral Health is made up of AODA, Mental Health, CCS (Comprehensive Community Services), and Prevention. Tammy Bergum is the Director and can be reached at (715)699-1924. This is the quickest route to setting up an assessment time. She will work with staff to be available. She will ensure that an appointment is set up with one of the counselors ASAP so that we can best meet your needs when you are ready. You can also contact the Behavioral Health appointment line at (715)699-7883.

Once you contact Lac Courte Oreilles Health Clinic Behavioral Health, a licensed counselor or therapist will begin with a conversation about what your current struggles are and what type of care you feel you need at this time. This may include some paperwork that acknowledges your rights and informs you of consent to access treatment options. Next they will complete a substance use assessment with you as an essential step in identifying what level of care can best assist you as you begin your road to recovery.

This assessment and your insurance information will be utilized to find a detox center, inpatient treatment center, transitional halfway house treatment, or begin outpatient therapy work based on the assessment findings. Treatment beds are limited and treatment centers vary in the types of services they offer, such as medication assisted therapy or detox, so it will take a bit of research to find an open bed at a treatment center that meets all your needs and to determine if and when they can take a new client.

The assessment will determine if detox is needed from physically addictive mood and mind altering chemicals, or if a lower level of care such as outpatient treatment is appropriate. The assessment will also indicate if inpatient or transitional housing or halfway house placement would best support your recovery as well. Once this is determined a discussion with you or your loved one will take place regarding options of facilities that can meet your needs and when.

Breaking the devastating cycle of addiction may take several levels of care such as beginning with detox to ensure that you are safe physically while the drugs or alcohol leave your body, outpatient treatment focusing on therapeutic work as an individual and some groups while you develop recovery lifestyle and can also be coupled with medication assisted therapy focusing on supportive therapeutic work in your own community. Medication may be utilized to manage mood and treat withdrawal symptoms while you adjust to a life without alcohol and drugs. Inpatient or residential treatment provides a geographical barrier between you and substances while you focus on therapeutic work in an individual and group setting living away from home in a controlled setting. Medication management can be used to manage mood or withdrawal symptoms while you focus on healing your mind and body. Transitional housing or halfway house care following inpatient treatment can continue the geographic barrier between you and your using lifestyle and contributors while you continue to strengthen in your recovery, but are not quite ready to go back to the triggers and daily living in your own community.

As stated earlier, in order to gain access to these various levels of treatment an assessment is needed to submit on your behalf to the treatment center. If you have a good private insurance, you could contact a treatment center on your own. They will do their own assessment with you and give you their recommendation such as “yes, you qualify and we have an admission date of Tuesday” or “at this time, your level of care would be outpatient would you like assistance setting up an outpatient appointment?”

In addition, insurance information is necessary because all levels of treatment are run on a pay for service model. LCOCH BH will screen your insurance and will also provide information on sponsorship information. While there are many types of drug treatment programs that are available, most of these programs will require a financial commitment. This is either through insurance or sponsorship. Unfortunately, in order to get a placement the facility will need some guarantee of payment. Costs range from $5,000 to $150,000 per stay based on type of service such as detox, ten day relapse prevention, 28 day treatment, halfway house three month placement, or 90 day treatment program.

Because this is a needed service the Lac Courte Oreilles Health Clinic and Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board has set aside money than to provide sponsorship for individuals who do not have insurance or who are underinsured to cover the expenses of detox, inpatient treatment, or halfway house placement. This money is available on a first come first serve basis of need for treatment services based on assessment findings. You must be a tribal member and reside in Sawyer County. First step in recovery is awareness and acceptance that help is needed. The Frist step in the assessment process is gathering this information to provide evidence to the treatment facility so we can advocate for your admission to their program. Be honest with your counselor who is doing the assessment, so they have the information they need to get you the help you need. Also be sure you are staying in contact with a reliable phone number so they can keep you and your loved one updated on the process and ensure your safety while advocating on your behalf to get you into the level of treatment you need.

Please know that although we know there are many people that could benefit from this program, the money goes fast and is not always available. Last year the Tribe earmarked $100,000 toward treatment costs and the Health Clinic earmarked $150,000. Both accounts were spent down by late summer. These accounts were replenished in the Fall, and is going very fast. All types of treatment are very costly, but leadership, elders, community members, and professionals within the tribe recognize that access to these services are extremely beneficial in helping support sobriety and long-term recovery and need to be available to you or your loved ones struggling with addiction. Sponsorship utilizing this fund after any insurance will ensure that access. The money will be used until it is gone and the search will continue for more funds so we can continue to meet this need.

As you explore options for how to get help, we know you may not even know which type of programs you or a loved one would find the most benefit or how to access. It is important to know that we are here to help through discussion and guidance whether it is for detox referral and costs, inpatient treatment referral and costs, and of course we offer outpatient treatment at LCO at no cost. Our care team is able to ask the right questions to best assist in a quick referral process. Knowing the various treatment options and assessing for which treatment type would best meet the needs for you or your loved one is only one part of the process. The financial commitment must also be made. If your insurance won’t cover the necessary costs, we will assist through sponsorship while the funds last. Call or stop in today and we will make ourselves available to you and your loved one the same day. We will keep you informed every step of the process and move quickly with you and your loved one to get the help you need.

LAC COURTE OREILLES HEALTH CENTER IMPORTANT NUMBERS:

(715)638-5100 RECEPTION MAIN LINE

(715) 699-1924 TAMMY BERGUM, BIIZHIIKII BUILDING

(715)699- 7883 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RECEPTION

(715)638-5152 SARAH CORMELL, HEALTH DIRECTOR