Boulder-based provider launches in-home mental health care program
Boulder-based private mental health provider Colorado Recovery has created a new in-home treatment program for people who cannot access care in a traditional office setting.
Launched in February, Bridge to You brings Colorado Recovery’s services — diagnosis, therapy, psychiatric nursing, medication management, life skills and more — into a patient’s home.
“There are a number of people who are homebound because of age, but also people who have a hard time coming into an office setting because part of their illness might be fear or paranoia about being around other people,” said program Director Joseph Schultz.
Illness and limited mobility can also impact someone’s ability to go to an appointment at an office building, said Medical Director Kate Daly.
One patient who was brought to Colorado Recovery’s offices for assessment ran out of the building within five minutes because the unfamiliar setting was so upsetting, Daly said. At-home care would prevent that from happening.
“This could really help people get started in treatment and on a path to recovery, where otherwise there’s nothing else for them because they can’t tolerate sitting in an office at an appointment,” she said.
Bridge to You aims to help those people before their symptoms worsen to the point of needing to be admitted to the hospital, Daly said.
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Programs like Bridge to You are not common in Colorado and are “a good innovation,” said Vincent Atchity, president of nonprofit advocacy group Mental Health Colorado.
“They’re a good program and do good work, but the payment issue is very limiting,” Atchity said. “There are international models for that kind of in-home care and it should be an idea that catches on, but it’s hard to afford.”
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