Mental illnesses can have a variety of causes and are oftentimes unpredictable. When someone you know is in distress and is having difficulty functioning at home and at work, Porter-Starke Services is available round the clock with quality inpatient and outpatient mental health care.
Twenty-four hours a day, acute psychiatric and therapeutic treatment is provided at the Inpatient Care Center in a secure setting for adults 18 years and older experiencing mental, emotional or behavioral issues.
“We treat all mental health disorders at the Inpatient Care Center, including clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders,” said Melanie Johnsen, director of Acute Services, Porter-Starke. “However, the Inpatient Care Center does not provide services for behavioral modification only. Our clients need a primary mental health diagnosis to be appropriate for our facility, and their substance use needs would be secondary to their mental health needs. Typically, our client mix includes mood, thought disturbance and substance use disorders.”
While the length of stay varies by individual, Porter-Starke is equipped to provide care for up to 16 clients at any given time, ensuring the appropriate level of attention and care is given to each person. Porter-Starke has a team of masters-level, licensed therapists, each with their own areas of specialization.
“The Inpatient Care Center offers daily group programs, including coping skills, experiential therapy, an addictions group, family groups, transition planning and more. Additionally, we offer such activities as wellness movement, art, journaling and reflection,” Johnsen said.
Care plans include compassionate and confidential stabilization, treatment, and planning for treatment after discharge from the Inpatient Care Center. Most clients discharged from the Inpatient Care Center are referred and scheduled within Porter-Starke's available outpatient services.
“Porter-Starke Services offers a full continuum of care to our discharging clients and community, including individual and group outpatient services, medication management, crisis intervention, peer support, community support services, mobile crisis services, and medical services through our Federally Qualified Health Center, Marram Health Center,” Johnsen said. “Most clients discharged from our Inpatient Care Center continue their treatment through other available outpatient services.”
Through the Inpatient Care Center, clients transition back into the community by providing post-hospital follow-up for 90 days after discharge.
“We offer many engagement services at every point in the care continuum to help fill gaps in treatment or wait times,” Johnsen said. “Porter-Starke Services also provides transition and access groups to clients discharged from the Inpatient Care Center to fast-track clients into therapy during the transition to outpatient services.”
A crisis stabilization unit is part of a full continuum of care. To further expand Porter-Starke's scope of services, this month, the proposed crisis center, located at the current Recovery Center, 2301 Cumberland Drive in Valparaiso, will begin to undergo construction. The estimated completion date of the project is currently the end of the calendar year 2023.
“The crisis center will be open 24/7 for walk-in clients from the community and drop-off clients from other community partners such as the sheriffs' offices and EMS departments,” Johnsen said. “During a mental health or substance use-related crisis, unnecessary emergency room visits or jail detentions may result. With a crisis stabilization unit, community members will have access to immediate, specialized care provided by trained staff during a mental health or substance use-related crisis.”
The new crisis center also will include a stabilization unit, an additional service option for clients who do not meet the need for traditional acute inpatient psychiatric services but could benefit from stabilization services for up to 24 hours. Nine stabilization beds will be available for children, adolescents, and adults. Multi-disciplinary services will be available to the client during their stay, including medical care, psychiatry, peer support, crisis support, social work and access to outpatient services.
Porter-Starke Services is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit community health center with offices in Northwest Indiana, including Valparaiso, Portage, Knox and La Porte. It is licensed through the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addictions and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Its facilities are accredited by the Council on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, services are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 219-531-3500. More information is available at porterstarke.org.
