FAQ

To answer that, let’s start with a brief explanation of the levels of care available to treat substance use and mental health challenges, otherwise known as “continuum of care.” A patient or client seeking support for mental health challenges enters treatment at a level of care appropriate for their needs. Based on the client’s response to the level of care, the client may need to step-up to a higher level of care, or step-down to a lower level of care.

Within the context of the continuum of care, the Thru program is centered in the middle and is referred to as an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Refer to the chart below to see where IOP fits within the continuum of care.

IOP is recognized across the country by state licensing and certification boards as an important level of treatment and reimbursed by most insurance plans. IOP is a step-up from traditional outpatient mental health care (e.g. going to therapy once a week, and seeing a psychiatrist once a month). In this way, IOP can prevent clients needing higher levels of care such as residential treatment or psychiatric hospitalization. IOP is an ideal, and often necessary step-down for clients who have attended residential or inpatient treatment programs and are now returning home.

The purpose of IOP is to offer a variety of group therapy sessions to clients for approximately 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. This structure gives clients the opportunity to work, go to school, or volunteer while getting support from mental health professionals.

Level .5: Early Intervention
Level I: Outpatient Services
Level II: Intensive Outpatient
Level III: Residential & Inpatient
Level IV: Medically Managed Inpatient

Note – Clients can move up or down to a higher or lower level of care depending on clinical needs.

Thru is a telehealth substance use and mental healthcare clinic, offering a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP). When you click the “get started” button on the website, you will be guided through a simple enrollment process, and then receive password-protected access into the Thru care environment and all of our clinical offerings. While a traditional IOP is offered out of a brick-and-mortar building, you can access the Thru program from the comfort of your own home, or wherever you have a digital device with reliable internet access. The founders of Thru, felt it was critical to move away from the traditional and move towards an easily accessible virtual clinic, if more people struggling are going to get the care and support they need and deserve.

Thru provides core programming day and evenings to make participation as easy and convenient for you as possible. In addition to the core program, Thru offers optional groups, that can be accessed at no additional cost, from 7 am until midnight, 7 days a week. Why? The founders of Thru have decades of clinical training and experience and know that mental health challenges don’t neatly silence themselves at 5 p.m. or at the weekend. We are committed to supporting you when you need it most.

We also provide individual therapy sessions and case management sessions to all of our clients to ensure Thru meets all of you mental and physical health needs.

Traditional IOPs put all clients into the same groups, no matter how long they have been enrolled in their program. This makes no sense to us. As you grow and get well, your program will shift to reflect your mental health gains. You will be offered new groups and new clinical information as you progress through Thru! We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all treatment model.

Clients typically enroll in IOPs for one to three months. But remember, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits all treatment program. At Thru, progress towards your treatment goals and mental health will be evaluated weekly, with you, so that together we can assess the best plan for you. At Thru, you are an active member of your own care team. In fact, you are the captain of your team!

Thru has been designed and developed to help clients struggling with substance use disorders, compulsive behaviors, process addictions, and other mental health challenges. As you think about your own life story, you might recognize that you started to use drugs (or gamble, drink alcohol, compulsively exercise, etc.) as a way to self-medicate untreated mental health challenges (such as anxiety, depression, trauma etc.). Or you might recognize that at the time you started to engage in compulsive behaviors other mental health issues were arising. You may be reading this and wondering whether mental health struggles have increased as a direct result of your substance use disorder, compulsive behavior or process addiction, or the other way around. Deeper understanding of the bidirectional interplay of these challenges comes through participation in the program, along with the tools and training to better address the challenges, manage them, and in many cases transcend them. Thru is designed to address all of these issues. Our expert clinical team of licensed mental health professionals have education, training, and experience across a wide range of mental health challenges, using evidence-based care to support your success.

Yes, we accept some insurance and are happy to explore your options. Insurance benefits vary from plan to plan and from client to client. Insurance coverage and reimbursement can be confusing to figure out. The Thru intake team are experts and they will walk closely alongside you, and remain in very close communication, to ensure you understand all of the cost implications related to participating in Thru.

Our dedicated intake team will walk with you through the process of seeking insurance authorization, determining co-pays and deductibles, and clarifying questions you may have for your insurance carrier along the way.

At Thru, we are sticklers when it comes to financial transparency. We understand the cost of care can be an anxiety-inducing part of this process, and even strain communication among family members. We greatly appreciate that the cost care plays heavily into your decision to join the program. We truly are here to simplify and smooth out the enrollment process.

Yes, we offer two 90 minute intensive individual therapy sessions in week one and additional individual, couples, or family therapy is available for purchase. 

We emphasize group therapy as it offers you the opportunity to get support from your peers, to know you are not alone in your struggles and suffering, to test out new ideas and coping strategies with your peers, and to receive encouragement from your peers who have been where you are at and are now further along the path of recovery than you. Learning and training from, and among, peers can be as powerful a part of the program as any.

Medications can be an essential part of a client’s early care plan and an important part of on-going recovery management. Yet, for some other clients, medications may not be needed at all. With future program expansion, Thru will be offering psychiatry appointments and MAT support directly. Today, our clinical team will help guide you to a psychiatrist or other mental health specialist in your community, as indicated. For example, if you and your care team determine that MAT will be a needed part of a successful recovery from substance use, Thru will provide you a referral and support you in following through with your appointments and recommendations.

Making decisions about substance use and mental health treatment can be anxiety-provoking and overwhelming. We want you to ask all the questions needed for you to feel well-informed about treatment options and comfortable taking next steps. If, for any reason, Thru doesn’t feel like the best fit for your needs, we will happily help connect you to other resources and support. Please complete the Contact Us form and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.

Please reach out and get help now. Do not suffer in silence, or risk your situation worsening If you are in the midst of a psychiatric or medical crisis – if you are feeling suicidal, experiencing panic, hallucinating, suspect you might be overdosing, having thoughts of harming someone else – please go to your local emergency room or call 911.

If you don’t see your situation as requiring emergency services, but feel you are in more urgent need than the Thru program can accommodate, please access our Resources for a list of support services that can better address a more urgent crisis situation. Psychiatric emergencies are treatable and deserve the same attention and compassion as medical emergencies. Get the help you need now, and start your recovery journey today.