Services
Ascend
Ascend
Ascend is a more intensive outpatient group-based program that provides comprehensive, collaborative and integrated treatment to young adults between the ages of 18-28 in an emotionally safe environment. Participants work with their peers and treatment team in a combination of treatment modalities and structured activities for 17-20 hours a week to address long standing mood disorders and executive function challenges.
Ascend helps participants identify and accomplish short and long-term goals that support life-long mood stability and daily functional behaviors. With equal attention to developing emotional stability and functional behavior, participants progress through three stages of treatment in a 3-6 month period. Participants develop self-awareness and skills essential to building confidence, learning, self-care, healthy relationships, problem-solving and balancing goal directed behaviors with mental health and well-being.
The Ascend treatment plan integrates:
- Individual Therapy
- Group Therapy (Each different group is described separately by clicking the link below.)
- Family Therapy
- Medication Evaluation and Monitoring
- Executive Functioning Support
Treatment in Ascend progresses through the following three stages:
Stage 1: Intensity
- Assessment/Evaluation
- Goal Identification
- Making Connections
- Mood Stabilization
Stage 2: Progress
- Implementation of Tasks to Reach Goals
- Tracking Progress and Consistency
Stage 3: Ascent
- Achieving Goals Consistently
- Maintaining Progress Despite Challenges or Hardships
- Transitioning Out/Graduation
Ongoing progress and treatment efficacy is assessed in treatment team meetings with the clients and the entire team beginning within 2 weeks of admission to Ascend and on a monthly basis thereafter. In these meetings, overall progress is discussed, areas of concern are identified, and discharge and continuing care plans are made and revised.
Family involvement is an essential component of treatment in Ascend. Parents are expected to participate in the intake process and provide the team with client’s comprehensive developmental, educational, medical, social and familial history and related reports. Parents are also expected to attend twice monthly Parent DBT/Support Group., as well as participant’s initial and final treatment team meetings.
Ascend Lite
In Ascend Lite, young adults between the ages of 18 and 28 spend 7-10 hours per week addressing problems that interfere with mood stability and optimal functioning. Treatment is tailored to clients who, despite their challenges, are able to maintain a minimum of 10-20 hours per week of functional activity (i.e., classes part-time job, volunteering, etc). All Ascend Lite groups take place in the late afternoon or evening to accommodate participant’s need for more intensive therapy and increased involvement in meaningful activities.
Ascend Lite is predominately a group-based program. However, treatment incorporates individual therapy, executive functioning support, family therapy, and case coordination with outside psychiatrists. In addition, we strongly recommend that parents participate in a twice monthly DBT/Support group designed to support parents in their role of parenting a young adult with mental health struggles. Parents are routinely asked to participate in the initial development of treatment planning by providing developmental, educational, familial, medical and social history of their young adult child and participating in the initial and/or final treatment team meeting.
To assess progress made and the efficacy of the program, treatment team meetings with the client and staff begin within two weeks of the client entering the program and occur every 6 weeks through the course of treatment. In these meetings, overall progress is discussed, areas of concern are identified, and discharge/continuing care plans are made and revised. Progress is assessed largely based on the long-term and short-term goals that the client sets at the outset of treatment. Graduation from the program generally occurs when the client is routinely meeting 80% or more of their weekly short-term goals.
Learn More about our Ascend Lite Groups