“After just a few sessions of outpatient treatment patients become much healthier physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally… begin to practice a spiritual life that they never knew existed for them.” Graduate of the First Step program.
First Step Services Outpatient Program Substance Abuse Treatment Options:
First Step Services, LLC, is a private agency that has three locations: Raleigh, Garner, and Durham, NC. All three facilities are licensed outpatient substance abuse treatment hospitals and facilities. At these locations we offer a wide range of outpatient substance abuse treatment options for persons with substance concerns. Additionally, we are licensed by the State of NC and NC DWI Services to provide all outpatient levels of DWI services and assessments.
For many patients who are not quite at the point of needing inpatient or hospitalization, the treatment that might be appropriate is our 90-hour intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment program (IOP). This IOP of care is available at our Raleigh location. This program lasts 3-5 months and weekly aftercare options are available that include 3-hour or 1 hour groups. The IOP program has the client start for the first 2 months or so attending group every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday night from 6-9 pm, or if it is more convenient for someone to attend day-time treatment First Step offers IOP treatment on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
We stress total abstinence from all mind-altering substances and building a strong support network through client attendance and participation in outside self-help groups. First Step’s IOP program relies mainly on the power of the group therapy modality and employs cognitive-behavioral and motivational enhancement therapeutic techniques.
We stress the progressive nature of the disease of addiction, honest self-disclosure, client-driven feedback, and “telling on the disease” of addiction. Above all, we stress the recovery progression of sobriety. Rather than sticking to a strictly didactic formula, we employ creative experiential activities during group (River of Addiction, Trust Walk, art therapy exercises, small group interaction, brainstorming, etc.) to engage the client in a dynamic learning and support environment.
At the heart of each three-hour group session is the process portion of the group. Here clients are encouraged to openly share in a safe environment about their recovery achievements and pitfalls. Client feedback, questions, and interaction with each other are just as important as timely clinical feedback given by the counselors.
We have a strong family program and encourage our clients to take advantage of it. We offer free educational sessions each Monday from 6-7:30 pm for family members/loved ones/members of the community. This is the F.A.C.E. Program (Family And Community Education). We make it clear to clients that family involvement is not only a requirement of insurance carriers but also greatly improves rates of success for substance abusers.
We feature a Family Night, which is generally held the last Thursday of each month during IOP time at no extra cost to the client. Clients attend a special family IOP session with their loved ones. Both facets of our family program are facilitated by Masters Level therapists with years of substance abuse counseling experience. We encourage our clients to consider family therapy sessions with our trained counselors as a supplement to their treatment. Family therapy sessions can further educate family members and help facilitate open communication and help minimize enabling, codependence, and dysfunction in the family system.
First Step is an in-network provider with Cigna, Magellan, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Behavioral Healthcare, Aetna, MedCost, Value Options, CompPsych, NC State Health Plan and other insurance companies. We do everything we can to get you authorized for all our outpatient services. When someone uses insurance, they typically have a co-pay for each service rendered (each individual group session, each individual session, each family therapy session, etc), which usually starts at $25.
Drug testing services are sometimes covered by insurance. For those clients who choose not to use insurance, they can either pay a reduced rate up front for the program (not including urine drug screens or family or psychiatric sessions or additional individual sessions) or pay at each group.
We will be happy to update concerned others (employers, family, etc.) by phone, fax, e-mail, or mail on the patient’s progress on a monthly basis or more often if requested. Of course, we need the client to sign a consent to release information so that we can share this information. Otherwise, we cannot acknowledge you have ever been to First Step. Your privacy and confidentiality is something we take very seriously.
Finally, we offer a wide range of other treatment options here at First Step. We cover the spectrum from 8 hours of education to 60 hours of intermediate/longer term-level substance abuse treatment all the way to 90 or more hours of Intensive Program Treatment. Occasionally we design a shorter than 90-hour intensive outpatient program for a client. The 90-hour IOP is the highest level of care we offer, although longer stays in the IOP are possible and aftercare programs here can supplement an IOP or other treatment program.
We do not offer residential or inpatient services, but have at our fingertips a lot of information about these services in the area and connections to these providers. We even provide space to an AA meeting at our Raleigh office every Friday at noon.
I hope this is helpful for you. First Step would certainly like to work closely with you. If there is anything we at First Step Services, LLC can do to further assist in this matter, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
What comes after IOP?
Some participants choose to step down to attending group one evening per week or attend individual counseling at First Step to help with maintaining the benefits gained in the program. Other clients participate in the 12-step programs such as AA or NA. A few choose to attend other self-help groups such as Smart Recovery and some participate at a new level in their church or spiritual support groups.
As a bonus, every client who successfully completes any level of counseling groups is welcome to continue aftercare for $5 per session for as long as that client remains abstinent and would like to attend. Our goal is to help program participants maintain the gains earned during participation in our programs.
When and where do the groups meet?
Groups meet Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00-9:15 PM at 211 Six Forks Road, Suite 117, Raleigh. Individual and family counseling sessions may be scheduled any time Monday – Friday to support the intensive outpatient clients and their families and friends. Garner and Durham groups meet Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
What about going to a detox or inpatient substance abuse treatment program?
Once a person completes detox and an inpatient treatment program from alcohol or drug abuse, the chances of ongoing abstinence or even recovery are greatly improved by following with intensive outpatient for 3 or more months. Most hospitals and residential treatment centers strongly recommend an intensive outpatient aftercare program.
When and how do I get started?
The groups are “open” which means you may start at almost any time. The IOP has a maximum capacity of 12 clients. When groups get larger, we have the staff and space to provide services to divide the groups into smaller numbers of clients. To get started, call First Step today and schedule an intake and orientation appointment. You will be able to start within a day or two of the initial phone call. First Step is usually able to see clients within 24 hours and you can start at the very next scheduled group if you choose.
