Cottage Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Recognizes May as Mental Health Awareness Month

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that one out of every five adults in the United States experiences some form of mental illness every year. However, only half of these individuals receive proper treatment. This National Mental Health Awareness Month, Cottage Health stands with other community organizations to increase public awareness about the significance of mental health and provide access to support and education.

"For more than three decades, our team has been committed to destigmatizing mental health challenges and cultivating a healing environment for individuals who seek support," said Darcy Keep, Administrative Director of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. "We recognize the apprehension that often accompanies seeking help. However, we want the community to feel empowered and know we are here to support them in their journey."

The Cottage Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine program provides a comprehensive range of services to meet patients' needs and circumstances, including acute inpatient psychiatry and detoxification, residential alcohol, drug, and co-occurring disorders, rehabilitation and several levels of outpatient treatment services in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.

Services offered by the Cottage Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine:

COPE Intensive Outpatient Programs — San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
The Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program is a comprehensive program that provides skills-based group psychotherapy, family group psychotherapy, individual case management, and a daily structure that is three hours per day, four days per week. This treatment approach includes psychotherapy, symptom management, education, medication compliance monitoring and enhancement of the patient's ability to engage in activities related to daily living. COPE also offers intensive outpatient substance use disorder treatment.

Cottage Residential Center
Cottage Residential Center provides comprehensive, medically supervised care for the treatment of substance use disorders. The collaborative treatment approach offers a team of highly experienced professionals, including registered nurses (RNs) and licensed therapists (LMFTs), with referrals to a team of physicians specializing in addiction medicine. The Center is Accredited by the California Department of Health Care Services and the Joint Commission.

Emergency Psychiatric Services
Emergency Psychiatric Services, based at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, provides 24/7 comprehensive emergency mental health, psychiatric and chemical dependency evaluations, alongside emergency consultations and crisis intervention. Access to these vital services is facilitated through the Emergency Departments of both Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.

Psychiatry and Inpatient Medical Detoxification
The Cottage Psychiatry and Inpatient Medical Detoxification program at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital provides voluntary, short-term inpatient treatment for adults 18 years of age and older, catering to the entire spectrum of psychiatric illnesses with acute symptoms. Additionally, the program aids patients in completing medical detoxification and withdrawal from substances such as alcohol, sedatives and opiates. Services include diagnostic evaluations, medical examinations, specialized tracks for dual diagnosis cases, case management, pharmacological treatment, detoxification supervision, therapy sessions, spiritual care, occupational therapy, pain management, yoga, movement therapy, music and art therapy, nutrition education, and access to medical-surgical services.

Most individual and group insurance plans cover the costs of psychiatry and addiction medicine programs. Private pay plans are also available to those without insurance coverage.