Mental Health – Behavioral Health Treatment in Philadelphia
Union members and their families can improve their health and lives through a variety of behavioral health services. Since the beginning of the pandemic, unions have been incorporating behavioral healthcare as part of their benefit plan to help union members have a full spectrum of care for their physical and mental well-being. Behavioral healthcare places focus on helping individuals manage stress, provide counseling for things like substance abuse and grief, navigate relationship issues, family therapy, and treat mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Many people can feel apprehensive about getting behavioral health help at the beginning. They may also be nervous about their employment status from taking too much time off to get therapy sessions or enter a behavioral healthcare treatment facility. Navigating addiction and mental health treatment options can also be overwhelming with the amount of options and figuring out what is best for you.
Union First employment assistance programs help union members in Philadelphia in Delaware Valley make the right choices when it comes to their mental health issues and substance abuse treatment choices. We evaluate your case and give you recommendations based on our list of networks of reputable treatment facilities. You may not be aware of the extent of services covered by our insurance plan and where it is accepted. We will also help to protect your employment status while you receive any form of behavioral health treatment.
Table of Contents
- What is Behavioral Health
- ADA Coverage for Mental Health Conditions & Behavioral Health
- PTSD
- Substance Abuse
- Alcoholism
- Drug Abuse and Addiction
- Dual Diagnosis
- Clinical Depression
- Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction
- Mental Health Services Delivered via Telehealth
- Union First Helps Our Clients Keep Their Jobs While Undergoing Behavioral Health Treatment
- Why Choose Union First
What is Behavioral Health?
Behavioral health refers to how our everyday cognitive habits affect our overall health, emotions, behavior and biology. Often, it is used interchangeably with mental health, but actually, it is far more expensive. Having good behavioral health means you engage in behaviors that help you reach an ideal physical and mental balance. This can include eating a healthy diet, exercising, and taking the necessary steps to manage an existing disease, injury, or disorder. Behavioral health can include treatment for substance abuse, mental health issues, and eating disorders.
ADA Coverage for Mental Health Conditions & Behavioral Health
The American Disabilities Act protects people with mental illness against discrimination in the workplace and requirements for job accommodations. The ADA also covers your privacy, meaning you can keep your condition private. Under HIPAA, federal law requires patient information to remain safe, meaning your human resources department is required to keep all medical information about you private. You can qualify for the ADA if your condition substantially limits your ability to communicate, eat, sleep, concentrate, care for yourself, regulate your thoughts or emotions, interact with others, care for yourself, or do any other major life activity. Some of the conditions covered by ADA include, but are not limited to:
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Major Depression
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar Disorder
- Anxiety Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that sometimes happens to those who experience or witness a traumatic event. Usually, it is associated with veterans who witnessed combat, but an event doesn’t need to be as severe as war to cause PTSD. People can experience PTSD from a car accident, physical or sexual assault, harassment due to sexism, homophobia, racism, or even an abusive relationship. Symptoms of PTSD include:
- Intrusive thoughts, distressing dreams, or flashbacks
- Avoiding people, places activities, objects, and situations that may trigger distressing memories
- Ongoing fear, anger guilt, or shame
- Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
- Feeling detached from others
- Irritability and angry outbursts
- Reckless behavior
- Trouble sleeping or concentrating
PTSD treatment and recovery in Philadelphia may include therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), one-on-one therapy sessions, family therapy, support groups, and medication-assisted treatment.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is the repeated harmful use of any substance, including drugs and alcohol. These can be legal prescription substances as well as illegal ones or alcohol. Substance abuse can lead to physical and psychological dependency, also known as addiction or substance use disorder. Substance abuse requires a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan from a treatment center to fully recover. Treatment and recovery for substance abuse in Philadelphia in Delaware Valley may include dual diagnosis treatment, medication-assisted treatment, medical detox, and several forms of individual, family therapy, and group therapy sessions.
Alcoholism
Alcohol use disorder can take the stronghold of any person. It can cause physical and mental dependence on alcohol. If alcoholism has been severe enough, it may require alcohol detox to safely go through alcohol withdrawals. Some signs and symptoms of alcohol addiction include:
- Inability to limit the amount of alcohol
- Wanting to cut down on drinking, but unable to
- Strong cravings for alcohol
- Developing a tolerance to alcohol
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
- Spending a lot of time getting, drinking, and recovering from alcohol use
Alcohol rehab in Philadelphia in Delaware Valley is any person’s best chance to stop alcohol abuse. A good treatment and recovery program will have several forms of behavioral healthcare therapy sessions, like cognitive behavioral therapy, medication-assisted treatment, family therapy, alcohol detox, and holistic treatments.
Drug Abuse and Addiction
Several illicit drug abuse addictions such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines can cause devastating health, social, and economic effects on a person. Getting help for these addictions as soon as possible will increase your chances of a successful recovery. There are several forms of drug abuse rehab to help anyone with substance use disorder, no matter how severe their condition. Union First employment assistance programs can help you find the right drug abuse treatment and recovery in Philadelphia in Delaware Valley while helping to protect your employment status.
Dual Diagnosis
A person with a dual diagnosis has both a mental disorder and a substance use disorder. These conditions are frequently found together. Substance abuse can sometimes trigger preexisting mental health issues, both disorders often stem from the same source such as a traumatic event, and those with mental health issues sometimes self-medicate with drugs and alcohol to ease symptoms but end up with an addiction. Dual diagnosis treatment is vital for helping those who are struggling with both mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and substance abuse, recover fully. Dual diagnosis treatment in Delaware Valley involves treating both disorders simultaneously.
Clinical Depression
Clinical depression is the more severe form of depression, also known as major depressive disorder. Signs and symptoms of major depression include:
- Sleep disturbances, either insomnia or sleeping too much
- Anxiety and restlessness
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, and hopelessness
- Irritability, angry outbursts, and frustrations
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements
- Changes in appetites
- Feelings of worthlessness
Clinical depression may do best with a combination of talk therapy sessions and a course of antidepressants. Both treatments work best together. Union First employment assistance programs can help connect you with a treatment facility that offers multiple levels of care and family therapy. Inpatient treatment may be necessary for those with severe forms of clinical depression.
Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction
Many people assume that because a medication was prescribed by a doctor it is safe. However, many of these medications can be habit-forming or cause dependency. Some of the most common prescription drug abuse include:
- Painkillers and opioids, such as Oxycodone and morphine
- Anti-anxiety medications, like Xanax and Valium
- Stimulants, like Adderall
- Antidepressants like Zoloft and Lexapro
- Sedative hypnotics (sleep aids) like Ambien
Many prescription drug abuse and addiction require a medical detox because their withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous and even fatal. Union First employment assistance programs can help connect you with several drug and alcohol detox treatment facilities in Delaware Valley. This is just the first step in recovery, drugs and alcohol rehab is recommended to help treat the root causes of prescription medication addiction.
Mental Health Services Delivered via Telehealth. Online Behavioral Health Services
Virtual care for mental health issues has many benefits. The start of the pandemic pushed many services to be moved online and with that many people discovered that worked better for them. Telehealth behavioral health services work by having your therapy sessions, including family therapy, via video online with a certified provider. The biggest benefit is convenience, you can continue therapy sessions from anywhere in the world and it causes fewer disruptions to your day. It can make those who are apprehensive about therapy and family therapy much more at ease. Telehealth treatment services can also allow you to stay at home with small kids and dependents instead of having to find help to look after them while you go to treatment. Union First employment assistance programs have a network of mental health treatment services delivered via telehealth to connect you.
Union First Helps Our Clients Keep Their Jobs While Undergoing Behavioral Health Treatment
Union First employment assistance programs help make sure your job is protected under the American Disabilities Act. Many may be apprehensive about missing time from work to get mental health treatment or behavioral health treatment, mostly out of fear of losing their job. Sometimes mental health treatment or substance abuse treatment requires an extended stay at an inpatient treatment center. You should not let fear of losing your job get in the way of getting the right amount of help. Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a chronic, progressive disease that, if not treated at the right level for you, may cause a relapse soon after treatment. Union First employment assistance programs will make sure your employment status is never in jeopardy.
Why Choose Union First
Choosing Union First employment assistance programs will give you someone on your side when you are most in need. Finding the right behavioral health treatment or addiction treatment center for drugs and alcohol can be overwhelming and difficult. However, Union First employment assistance programs will look at your case and connect you with the right treatment facility in our network of trusted and reputable treatment facilities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that is right for you. You will also have job protection as a union member so you never have to worry about taking too much time off to get the right help for you. If you or a family member is struggling with drugs and alcohol addiction, please give us a call today. We can help connect you with treatment and family resources in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania today.