It doesn’t matter how good your clinicians are or your program is, if coordination of care is not a main priority nor executed well, it’s as if the race were never run. I’ve spent 20 years coordinating care and running community-integrated therapeutic coaching programs for those needing mental health, substance use, and wellness and life coaching support. In working with hundreds of providers over two decades, what we see consistently is that coordinated care dramatically improves outcomes. It doesn’t matter if you have a $90k a month treatment center or a state funded program, what levels the playing field and determines client outcomes is how well the aftercare is coordinated. As much or more energy needs to be spent coordinating care as is given to the marketing, advertising, networking and admissions process. I must be a priority from day one. All too often, this is not the case.
Last month, once again, the US men’s 4×100 meter relay team was favored to win the Olympic gold. Although they’ve had some of the fastest runners in the world for years and years, they have not reached the podium in over two decades. The photo here was from a previous Olympics, but it was the same outcome this year as in years past. The failed handoff and dropped baton.
Proper treatment facility, accurate diagnosis, appropriate medications and treatment plans might be considered the first 3 legs of the relay. The fourth, anchor leg, being a skillful handoff (care coordination) to a community integrated partner who can support the client and family with their varied needs is what constitutes a winning team. The team our clients and families deserve. The team that they needed upon admission and the team they need upon discharge. By reprioritizing this anchor leg handoff, they get what they were looking for and their lives improve – as do your treatment outcomes. It’s a win-win. There’s no other ethical way to do it.
If you are in San Diego, Active Recovery Network is happy to be your one stop shop for coordinating community-integrated care and supporting your clients and families in their continued journey. From locating housing, care coordination with trusted psychiatrists and therapists, our in-home therapeutic, life & wellness coaching, recovery monitoring, family support, and more, we are happy to help our clients cross one of many finish lines and continue moving their lives in the right direction.
Reach out today if there’s anything we can do for your programs, providers, clients, and families. We are always happy to help.
Let’s go for the gold!!