Mountainside expands outpatient services to meet growing demand

NORTH CANAAN — In its quest to empower individuals in recovery to prioritize treatment alongside their daily routines, Mountainside Treatment Center, nationally recognized for the effectiveness of its drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs, has expanded services to evening and weekend Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP) services and holistic therapies.

Since launching in 2014, Mountainside’s outpatient service has grown into six locations across Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, plus a virtual therapy program that includes Massachusetts, according to company officials.

Its flagship facility, opened in 1998, is located in North Canaan.

“We are seeing an influx of clients needing daytime or evening hours, and more flexibility in their schedules,” said Courtney Hulse, director of outpatient services at Mountainside.

Evening or weekend IOP’s offer patients more freedom to maintain employment and a healthy connection with family and community while on their journey to recovery, noted Hulse, who has 15 years of clinical practice in the treatment of substance use and mental health disorders.

“The opposite of addiction is connection, and we want to be able to recognize that all these areas of a person’s life are important,” she explained. Once they step away from inpatient services, “we want them to be able to continue with that connection and attachment.”

In making the announcement, Mountainside officials said its outpatient service expansion, which includes the hiring of additional clinicians to meet the heightened demand, “will reach struggling individuals and family members busy with personal responsibilities, work or school during the weekdays, making it more convenient for them to engage in treatment and build a sober lifestyle grounded in wellness.”

To qualify for IOP, individuals are required to attend three weekly therapy sessions, with a duration of three hours each, for a total of nine hours per week, said Hulse.

“It’s a great way to transition from a controlled environment back to a home environment. Folks can regain their footing and navigate triggers that will affect them in their home environment.”

Trace amounts of fentanyl in marijuana

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2023 decreased by three percent over the prior year. The data also reveals that overdose deaths from synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, declined in 2023 while cocaine and psychostimulants, like methamphetamine, increased.

The data highlights the ongoing need for accessible and adaptable substance abuse treatment programs for substance use disorders such as fentanyl, opioids, marijuana, kratom and alcohol.

The global pandemic and ensuing lockdowns, said Hulse, played a role in the increase of alcohol dependencies, and the legalization of marijuana in Connecticut has led to opioid addictions through tainted substances.

“For a lot of folks, it became problematic,” she said of growing alcohol dependency in recent years. “And now we’re seeing fentanyl in marijuana and cocaine. If you are getting these substances from someone you don’t know, you don’t know what’s in them.”

Schedule of extended hours

Expanded IOP services are available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 6 to 9 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Weekend sessions run from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The goal, said Hulse, is to provide flexibility in scheduling, particularly If an individual needs to schedule makeup sessions to meet the program’s criteria.

“We don’t want to turn anybody away.”

In addition to the extended hours, Mountainside is introducing holistic wellness services at each location. Sound bath and yoga sessions complement the clinical treatment options and provide clients with a comprehensive approach to their recovery journey.

The center also offers free weekly support groups, family wellness workshops and educational events.

To learn more about Mountainside’s treatment options and schedule of free educational events, visit www.mountainside.com.