Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center

About Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center

Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center is a state run mental health hospital in Bangor, Maine. Formerly known as the Bangor Mental Health Institute, it provides inpatient and outpatient treatment services to the public both voluntarily and by court order. It is one of two Maine state facilities that treat severe mental illness.

State run facilities can have the advantages of private care. Dorothea Dix’s state funding means they are equipped to treat severe forms of mental illness that smaller institutions may struggle with. They can also provide highly specialized treatments like electroconvulsive therapy.

One thing I really appreciate about Dorothea Dix is the size. When you think of state run facilities, you might imagine rows of inpatient beds. But this is a 51 bed facility. While not a small number, it’s hardly overwhelming, and they maintain the staff required to give each person the level of care they need.

Many hospitals in the state will refer you to Dorothea Dix if they recognize you will benefit most from their specialized care.

Payment Options

Private insurance
Self-pay options
Financial aid
Medicare
Medicaid
Medicare

Levels of Care

Outpatient

Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.

Inpatient

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) enable clients to remain in or return to their community while receiving high-level treatment. Most rehabs offering intensive outpatient treatment require clients to commit to a minimum of nine therapeutic hours per week, though clients who need more robust care often receive up to 20 hours of service weekly. Treatment modalities vary, but generally include psychotherapy, recovery education, evidence-based holistic therapies, and medication assisted treatment (MAT) for alcohol and/or opioid addiction.

Sober Living Homes

A sober living home in Maine is typically located in a quiet neighborhood, where residents can focus on their recovery journey and personal growth. These halfway houses are typically privately owned and maintain strict rules for residents. These standards include abstinence from drug and alcohol use, participation in support group meetings and household chores, contribution to expenses such as rent, and adherence to a set curfew.

24-Hour Clinical Care

24-hour clinical care in Maine provides rehab clients with a more comfortable detox experience. This can lead to better recovery outcomes. Under this care, clients receive treatment for withdrawal symptoms as well as assistance with mental health disorders. This treatment may include medications, nutritional supplements, and professional counseling to address health issues, addiction issues, and co-occurring disorders.

Medically Assisted Detox

Medical detox is the process of removing addictive substances from your body while under medical supervision. Quitting alcohol and drugs on your own can cause uncomfortable and even dangerous side effects. In a medically supervised detox, licensed medical professionals monitor you 24/7 to help keep you as safe and comfortable as possible. The process is highly individualized to fit your specific needs, but the medical detox generally takes 5-7 days.

Programs

Adolescence program

Adult program

Young adult program

Elderly program

Hearing impaired program

Settings & Amenities

Residential setting
Private rooms

Insurance

Our Policy: Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center works with several private insurance providers and also accepts private payments when possible, please contact us to verify your specific insurance provider.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Treatment

Dual Diagnosis

Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Mental Health

Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.

Clinical Services

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

Individual Therapy

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

Nutrition Therapy

Nutrition therapy, aka medical nutrition therapy (MNT), is a way of treating physical, emotional, and medical conditions through diet. Specific dietary plans are designed by professional nutritionists or registered dietitians, and patients follow them in order to positively affect their physical and mental health.

Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a way of getting nicotine into the bloodstream without smoking. It uses products that supply low doses of nicotine to help people stop smoking. The goal of therapy is to cut down on cravings for nicotine and ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Accreditations

State License

State Licenses are permits issued by government agencies that allow rehab organizations to conduct business legally within a certain geographical area. Typically, the kind of program a rehab facility offers, along with its physical location, determines which licenses are required to operate legally.

State License: Maine

Joint Commission

The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.

Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes

NAATP

The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) is a professional association that represents organizations in the field of addiction services. Founded in 1978, NAATP's mission is to advance addiction services and ensure that high-quality addiction treatment is available and accessible.

NAATP Member: Yes