Texas Behavioral Health Center Arlington says it's adding six new programs to meet the rising demand for higher-level mental health care.
The Arlington hospital said the program would triple its services this year. By the end of spring, eight programs serving women, adolescents and adults with comorbid mental illness and substance use disorder will start accepting patients.
The new services will include:
- Women’s Partial Hospitalization Program: In-person group therapy where patients can address issues and challenges in a safe, therapeutic setting, including postpartum depression, menopause, domestic violence and sexual abuse.
- Women’s Intensive Outpatient Program: In-person or virtual group therapy for patients to address issues including postpartum depression, menopause, domestic violence and sexual abuse.
- Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program: In-person group therapy offered from 4-7 p.m. to help adolescents ages 13-17 struggling with issues such as depression, anxiety, bullying, abuse, trauma or boundaries to balance school and their mental health without sacrificing one for the other.
- Adult Co-Occurring Disorders Program: In-person group therapy tailored for adults who struggle with both mental health and substance use issues.
Previously, the hospital offered two outpatient programs and had to refer out when they reached capacity. Both programs will continue to accept new patients.
“This expansion was vital to provide even more individuals and families with the care and support that they so desperately need to improve their mental health and well-being,” said Aliza Hirani, the hospital’s director of clinical services.
Mental health crises have been on the rise for years, but the number of people seeking inpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization care shot up during the pandemic. A study out of Harvard Medical School suggested that a combination of routine disruption, social isolation and economic stressors impacted adolescents at a higher rate than adults.
Symptoms of anxiety and depression worsened in many teens who already struggled with their mental health. Other developed symptoms for the first time.
Hirani said she noticed the same.
“Many stressors arose because of the pandemic, such as social isolation, children suddenly doing virtual schooling at home and adults who lost their jobs or had to adjust to working from home. As a result, repeated studies have shown that more people experienced mental health issues like depression and anxiety and even drank more to try to cope.”
