Birch Tree Communities embraces a progressive treatment philosophy that places members living with severe and persistent mental illness at the center of the treatment and recovery process. Primary goals of treatment are:
- to enable members to realize their worth and dignity as individuals
- for each member to participate in developing and directing their own recovery processes
- to assist each member to recognize and build upon their strengths, enhance their abilities, develop self-awareness and personal insight
- to teach members to articulate and pursue dreams, make personal choices and decisions, and learn from experiences
- to prepare members to live, work, and socialize successfully in the community
Rehabilitative Day Treatment provides a structured, supervised environment in which the treatment team can collaborate with members to facilitate recovery through psychoeducational groups and activities, skills development, and functional improvement.
The U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association's definition of psychiatric rehabilitation is:
"Psychiatric rehabilitation promotes recovery, full community integration and improved quality of life for persons who have been diagnosed with any mental health condition that seriously impairs their ability to lead meaningful lives. Psychiatric rehabilitation services are collaborative, person directed and individualized. These services are an essential element of the health care and human services spectrum and should be evidence-based. They focus on helping individuals develop skills and access resources needed to increase their capacity to be successful and satisfied in the living, working, learning, and social environments of their choice."
Source: https://www.psychrehabassociation.org/about/who-we-are/about-pra
A Day at Birch Tree Communities
During the weekdays, Monday through Friday, members participate in clinical services at the program centers. The transportation team picks up members at their homes before 8:00 am and takes them to the program center.
Members receive breakfast that is prepared in-house as they arrive at the program center and participate in morning groups. The dietary staff serves a healthy lunch in the dining room around noon, and members then continue to participate in groups, individual therapy, and activities.
Throughout the day, members can be transported as needed to appointments, shopping trips, and activities outside the program center. Organized outings are scheduled on a regular basis.
The program day typically ends at 4:00 pm, and the transportation team returns members to their homes. During evenings and weekends, members will help prepare meals at their homes with the assistance of staff as needed. Members have free time to relax, spend time with co-members, and participate in scheduled activities as they wish.
