NKHS' staff of professionals is dedicated to improving the quality of life for adults and children with serious mental illness or severe emotional disturbances, as well as for those who struggle with addictive disorders. We are committed to ensuring access to an integrated network of effective and efficient service that promotes client rights, responsibility, rehabilitation and recovery.
NKHS is committed to serving the mental and behavioral health needs of the community. We recognize that psychiatric and substance abuse disorders tend to be persistent and recurrent, and that co-occurrence of these disorders occurs with sufficient frequency in both systems that a continuous and integrated approach of assessment and treatment is required, regardless of the location of initial clinical presentation.
Individual counseling helps people develop an understanding of their substance abuse problem and provides assistance in overcoming those problems so that a complete recovery can be achieved.
Family and couples counseling is designed to work with the family as a whole. Our goal is to give families the tools they need to create positive change in their lives.
In group therapy many individuals take steps towards recovery. Groups offered include (PEG) prevention, education group, women's & men's groups, aftercare groups, anger management and seeking safety as needed.
The Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is an intensive level of treatment that is a step down from a residential program or an alternative to going into a residential program. The program includes a specific curriculum of education, therapeutic processing, and support in a group setting. This program meets three times per week, for 3-hour sessions, for six weeks, followed by 12 weeks of aftercare.
The Public Inebriate Program was created when the Alcohol Services Act decriminalized public intoxication, making it a public health issue instead, and mandating intervention and follow-up services. Individuals apprehended for public intoxication and "incapacitation" may be placed in protective custody or the Diversion Bed for a short period of time. We encourage those clients to seek further treatment once they leave protective services.
The Diversion Bed is a monitored detoxification arrangement where a person can safely sober up with the assistance of a "sitter."
Intervention is an approach designed to aid the counselor and significant others in getting the substance abuser treatment, by focusing attention on how alcohol and other drugs are negatively affecting the individual's life and relationships. Significant others could include partners, spouses, children, employers, etc.
The Drinking Driver Rehabilitation Program serves people who have been convicted of DWI in the State of Vermont. All DWI offenders must be screened for alcohol problems. As a result of the screening, the person will go to treatment and/or to the CRASH School or both before he/she will be eligible for license reinstatement.
The Project CRASH School is an educational program for people convicted of drunk driving. It focuses on individual drinking patterns and related problems.
VT Integrated Services Initiative (VISI) is a program to address the ways in which people with co-occurring mental health, substance use and/or medical issues can receive timely, consistent, and effective treatment.
Family Treatment Court is an initiative whereby all persons will receive comprehensive screening, assessment and treatment for chemical dependency and mental health issues with the goal of keeping them out of a correctional facility.
Rocking Horse Circle of Support Groups are community-based educational support groups for pregnant and parenting women facing a host of real or potential risk factors for substance abuse.
The Student Assistance Program provides prevention, education, screenings, and referrals. Staff also coordinate follow-up and support to adolescents in treatment or leaving treatment within a school setting.
The ACTIVE Program serves adolescents 12 to 18 years of age and their families. It provides comprehensive evaluations, therapeutic drug testing, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, individual, group, and family therapy, case management and treatment coordination with families, schools, and other resources, education and support groups to parents, and intensive services of up to 16 hours per week when needed, as well as referrals to residential/hospital care when indicated.