Programs

Our Programs

Bridge To Recovery and Opportunity House are our two programs that provide individual and group skill building activities designed to improve the ability to interact and function in the community. Recovery is a process in which individuals with severe mental illness are encouraged to take control of their lives, set goals, take advantage of opportunities and return to living, learning, working and socializing activities of their choosing.

Members and Opportunities

In 2010-11, 488 Bridgehaven members (clients) came here with a variety of diagnoses, including Schizophrenia (25%), Schizoaffective Disorder (22%), Depression (24%), Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive) (20%), and Psychotic or other disorders (8%). Bridgehaven members may attend as often as six days a week.

Over a 10-year period, members have experienced an average 85% reduction in hospitalizations for psychiatric symptoms. See Outcomes for more information on program effectiveness.

Click on the links for more information regarding:

• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Severe Mental Illness
• When Someone You Care About Has a Severe Mental Illness

Cognitive Enhancement Therapy: New Hope for Schizophrenia

Bridgehaven is the first in Kentucky to offer a newly developed intervention that addresses the negative symptoms of mental illness. CET is an evidence based practice developed in a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health in 1997. The remarkable results were first published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Up until now significant advances in treatment have only been made in the development of medications that address the “positive” symptoms of mental illness such as hallucinations and delusions. However, they have little effect on disabling problems such as poor working memory, slowness in processing information and concrete and inflexible thinking with the accompanying lack of motivation and flat affect. The program meets weekly for 3 hours and lasts for 48 weeks. At this time Medicaid is the only payer source that we can bill, but for those without Medicaid there is a $110 weekly out of pocket fee. For more information contact Barbara Hedspeth, LCSW or intake coordinator David Sisk at 585-9444.

Peer Support Specialists

Nealia Harper, Phillip Winchell and Cherish Wolf are Bridgehaven's part-time Certified Peer Support Specialists. The PSS is a consumer who has completed a training program offered by the Kentucky Department of Mental Health and passed an examination to obtain the Certification. Peer support is a new exciting concept in mental health settings, and evidence shows that peer support enhances the psychiatric rehab program in positive ways. The PSS is an employee who assists the professional in leading clinical program activities and talking one-on-one with members. Their effectiveness lies in their credibility since they too have gone through the process of recovery from mental illness and have a unique understanding of the challenges and rewards of treatment which they are willing to share with the members. Bridgehaven was able to implement Peer Support services through a targeted one-time $5,000 investment from Metro United Way.

Video: Nealia Harper, Peer Support Specialist

Program Hours

Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.