First Step SCAMHC

South Central Alabama Mental Health, Inc. understands and emphasizes the importance of developing the capability of all programs and all staff to be welcoming and engaging toward all individuals and families in empathic, hopeful relationships that facilitate appropriate identification of needs, access to appropriate assessment and properly matched services. Within this framework, it is particularly important to welcome and engage those individuals who might ordinarily have difficulty gaining access to services, such as those who have co-occurring mental health and substance use issues or disorders, those who are from diverse cultural and/or linguistic groups, those who are hearing or sight impaired , and those who have associated medical disabilities, all of whom are particularly at high risk for poorer outcomes if not successfully welcomed into care. A Level III.5 clinically managed high intensity residential treatment program. It serves adult males from the age of 19 years and older. It is used primarily for stabilization for individuals who meet the criteria for substance dependence. The length of time a client stays in the residential program is based entirely upon his therapeutic needs but it cannot exceed 21 days. The program offers services to clients in a setting that provides extensive and intensive therapy and educational serives as well as food and shelter. The First Step program is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.