When you're working with a full client load, it can be challenging to ensure every person you treat gets the highest level of care individualized to their unique needs. Fortunately, there are several actions you can take on a daily basis that make effective treatment the norm.
By considering your client's demographics, their diagnoses, and the progress they have made already, you can develop a more precise profile of them that recognizes their individuality and informs your treatment approach.
Additionally, by connecting your clients with resources that give them the space to be themselves and connect with others who have similar backgrounds, they are more likely to find success in treatment.
Consider Your Client's Demographics
With each client comes a lifetime of experiences that shape their outlook and understanding of the world around them. The lens through which they view these experiences is often a result of their demographics. We all belong to different groups and recognizing and celebrating our differences helps us thrive in our identities. Some of the elements of your client's identity to reflect upon might include:
Age
National origin
Socioeconomic status
By considering these different facets of your clients' identities, you can ensure you respect their diversity of experience and deliver your care with an eye for equity and inclusivity.
Same Diagnosis, Individual Treatment
Recognize that even though your clients may share a diagnosis, a one-size-fits-all approach to their treatment is not always the best route. Though you may begin at the same starting point with each of them, as your clients progress throughout their treatment, they may engage in self-discovery at different rates or struggle with varying facets of their disease.
Take, for instance, two clients both diagnosed with bipolar disorder type II. While your initial approach to assessing and diagnosing their mental health might be the same, once you begin treatment, you must tailor your treatment to the needs of the client.
One client might be struggling more with hypomania, and an emphasis on mindfulness and discovering the behaviors that lead up to an episode, such as getting enough sleep or managing their emotions, is the best approach. For a client with the same diagnosis who is struggling with the depressive elements of their disease, your approach might involve more motivational interviewing or recommending activities like exercise or healthy eating.
Encourage Peer Support
According to a recent study, peer providers who have lived-in experience with substance abuse and mental health disorders are playing an increasing role in treating behavioral health disorders.
Support groups that are specifically tailored to a client's demographics are even better.
Work as a Team
Case management is one of the most effective ways to ensure your client is getting the best care possible. According to the Case Management Society of America, case management is defined as “a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote patient safety, quality of care, and cost-effective outcomes.”
When a social worker or case manager is tasked with organizing care for their client, providing a connection between psychiatrists, therapists, legal representatives, and advocacy organizations leave no gap in the care your client receives. Case managers provide your client with an additional voice that advocates for their needs and ensures their rights are being respected. Often, clients are unaware of the resources available to them, and case managers can inform them of their options.
Promote Recovery-Oriented Care
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health and Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines “recovery” as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self‐directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential." Evidence shows that treatment that adheres to these tenets of “recovery-oriented” care results in better client outcomes.
By approaching each client with respect, empowering them to take ownership over their own mental health care, and giving them the autonomy to do so means that treatment is now a partnership between the provider and the client and not a one-way street.
Adhering to these ideals is a great way to build rapport with your clients and keep them engaged in their treatment program. Forming a “therapeutic alliance” between provider and patient can foster mutual interest in dynamic problem solving, goal-achievement, and overall wellness.
Remembering Your Clients Are Individuals Is Key
As a mental health professional, it can be difficult to provide individualized treatment to every client you see. Remembering to treat every client as a unique case, recognizing their demographic differences, and offering the right kind of support tailored to their needs is key.
At The Edge Treatment Center, located in Santa Ana, California, we understand the importance of individualized treatment and seek to provide a five-star experience to every client we serve. We offer multiple levels of care, from residential inpatient to partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient. Our amazing staff uses evidence-based treatment modalities to help you grow, change, and find success in your life. We provide services to treat both substance use disorders and those struggling with a mental health diagnosis in a caring and compassionate environment.
Call The Edge Treatment Center today at (800) 778-1772 to learn more and start your journey on the path to recovery.
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