Lowell Community Health Center

About Lowell Community Health Center

The Health Center in Lowell, Massachusetts has been providing primary health, dental, eye care and other specialty services since 1970. They have a behavioral health program for people of all ages. This clinic provides treatment and care for anyone dealing with addiction and/or mental health concerns.

The team of mental health professionals is multicultural and bilingual which lets them serve the diverse Lowell population. They will work with you to create a custom treatment plan based on your needs and long-term goals. Mental health drug therapy is available if needed. The Health Center never turns anyone away if they can’t pay.

To get treated for behavioral health issues, you’ll need to make an appointment. They use an online system called MyChart to book, change and review appointments. It’s easy and straightforward to use. You click a link to follow the instructions to get an activation link. I like that if you need help, they do provide a phone number you can use to get in touch with someone.

Payment Options

Private insurance
Self-pay options
Financial aid
Sliding scale payment assistance
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.

Aftercare Support

12-Step

Recovery models based on 12 step programs feature extensive peer coaching and emphasize personal growth as a key to sustained sobriety. Regular attendance at 12 step meetings, which are anonymous, free, and available daily, is expected. The 12 steps of recovery are based on spiritual principles and support participants in addressing the root causes of their disease, accept responsibility for their choices, and accept that which is beyond their control. Self-selected sponsors provide one-one-mentoring.

Programs

Teen Program

Adult Program

Program For Men

Program For Women

Young Adult Program

Seniors Program

Hearing Impaired Program

HIV/AIDS Program

LGBTQ Program

Military Program

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.

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.

Motivational Interviewing

Four principles are key to motivational interviewing in Massachusetts. First, the therapist offers empathy for the client's feelings and experiences. Second, they encourage the client to believe in themselves and their ability to change. Third, the therapist refrains from imposing their own viewpoints. Lastly, the therapist helps the client identify discrepancies in their circumstances and future goals.

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.

Couples Therapy

Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.

Family Therapy

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

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.