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FAQs

FAQs

FAQs

When you come to the hospital seeking help for mental health or substance abuse issues, the services must be authorized as medically necessary by your insurance company or Medicaid plan. Your symptoms, treatment plan and progress are reviewed with your insurance company representative.

Insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid all have a standardized set of guidelines known as Medical Necessity Criteria for mental health and substance abuse services, as well as for medical, surgical and advanced diagnostic procedures.

Medical necessity is determined by the severity of the symptoms you are experiencing. In some situations your symptoms may not be severe enough for inpatient treatment but may be for Partial Hospitalization (PHP) also known as Day Treatment or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) services.

If your doctor determines you need to continue care but your insurance company does not agree, your doctor will speak directly with a doctor from your insurance company to discuss your symptoms and treatment as well as your projected discharge date and discharge plan.

If your insurance company doctor disagrees, he or she will issue a denial based on medical necessity. In that case, your doctor will appeal on your behalf. He or she will have an opportunity to talk with another doctor from your insurance company. Sometimes, the second doctor will overturn the first doctor’s denial and authorize the continued care.

When a third party payer such as your insurance company, Medicare or Medicaid issues a final denial based on medical necessity, you do not have to pay for the service. Your doctor and members of your treatment team will work with you on a safe transition to the next level of care.

The average length of stay is five to seven days. This can be longer or shorter depending on progress and doctor evaluation.

We strive to provide an individualized treatment program that includes medication management, group therapy, and recreational therapy.

The program model is group therapy consistent. Individual therapy is not a part of the treatment program.

What are your hours?
Adults: Monday – Friday
IOP: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
PHP: 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (lunch provided)

Adolescents: Monday – Friday
Regular hours: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (lunch provided)
Summer hours: 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (lunch provided)

Depression, anxiety, panic, bipolar disorder, substance use, cutting/self-harm, trauma, grief, anger/aggression, stress management and other difficulties impairing functioning.

Treatment schedules and lengths of stay are individualized to each patient’s needs, but a typical program lasts between four to six weeks.

Yes, weekly in-house visits with a psychiatrist are offered for both PHP and IOP.

Group therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy utilizing a variety of evidence-based interventions including, but not limited to, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, 12-step facilitation and Seeking Safety.

Yoga, pet therapy, music therapy and art therapy.

Yes, we will help with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), short-term and long-term disability paperwork.

Yes, if indicated.

Most major insurance plans are accepted, including Medicare.

If you, a friend, or someone you love might be struggling with an emotional or substance abuse problem, help is just a phone call away.
If any of the behaviors below are affecting you or a loved one at work, home or school, a phone call is the first step toward healing.

  • Mood Disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder)
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Aggressive /threatening behaviors
  • Alcohol/drug dependency
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Schizophrenia, delusions, hallucinations

Please call our intake and referral clinicians at 972-283-6222 for a no cost, confidential assessment. We are available 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays.

At Hickory Trail Hospital, our goal during the assessment process is for everyone to feel comfortable and informed. A licensed intake and referral clinician will ask about current concerns as well as past medical and psychiatric history. If applicable, any drug and/or alcohol abuse will be addressed. An assessment allows us to efficiently and effectively evaluate current symptoms so that we may identify a program and referrals which best meet the needs of the client. A family member or friend may be present during the assessment process, as this may be helpful for assistance and support.

This assessment is not a psychiatric evaluation. Rather, it is to determine whether a hospital stay or some other type of service would be beneficial. Once the assessment is complete, our Intake & Referral clinician will discuss the recommendation and then make a determination
Please bring the following information to expedite the assessment process:

  • All mental health concerns
  • Medical condition information
  • Demographics (address, phone)
  • Driver’s License/Identification Card
  • Insurance Information
  • Custody, guardianship paperwork, if applicable

The time frame for an assessment varies, depending on the unique situation. In most situations, an assessment should take 30-45 minutes. If it is determined that hospitalization is the best course of treatment, three hours or less for the admission process should be expected.

Hickory Trail Hospital is a short-term, crisis-oriented hospital. Our average length of stay is five to 12 days. However, length of stay is dependent on treatment progress and stability and therefore is different for each patient based on their individual needs.

  • Family members or friends of a patient
  • Emergency rooms/medical-surgical hospitals
  • Counselors/therapists
  • Psychiatrists/psychologists
  • Mental health crisis teams
  • Clergy
  • Family practice/internal medicine/pediatric physicians
  • The person seeking help may also call

The multidisciplinary treatment team may consist of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, registered nurses, therapists, discharge planners, and qualified mental health technicians.

Family participation is an integral component of our multimodal treatment approach and we encourage family members to be actively involved in your treatment and care. Family members are encouraged to participate in daily phone contact with their loved one, as well as attend family visitation.

Yes, visitation and daily phone time is scheduled to allow patient’s the chance to be supported by their loved ones. See the Visitation Schedule for visitation days/times.

You may have up to three pairs of clothes, one pair of pajamas and three sets of undergarments on the unit. All other belongings will be safety stored and returned to you upon discharge. Once belongings are placed in storage, they cannot be accessed until the time of discharge. Laundry service is provided upon request. Hygiene Products are provided by the facility. All hygiene products are stored in a designated area on the unit when not in use. Hygiene products are NOT permitted in patient rooms outside of the designated hygiene time.

We strongly recommend that all valuables be sent home prior to admission. When this is not possible, valuables are stored in our locked safe and returned at the time of discharge.

You and your treatment team will work together to develop a comprehensive aftercare plan to meet your individual treatment needs. A therapist or discharge planner will help you arrange aftercare appointments prior to discharge.
Hickory Trail Hospital’s continuum of care allows patients to move from an inpatient setting to a less intensive treatment program known as our Day Hospital Program. Alumni patients benefit from this step-down level of care to support their transition out of inpatient treatment and back into their home environment.

Voluntary patients (or their guardian) have the right to request discharge against medical advice (AMA) at any time during treatment. A 24-hour hold may be initiated by your psychiatrist to allow time for the treatment team to determine if you are safe for discharge. A court order for treatment may be requested by the psychiatrist for patients who are not deemed safe for discharge. If you request an AMA discharge, a clinical staff member will explain the process to you in detail.

Restraint is not a treatment modality, but a last resort safety intervention when an imminent risk of danger to the individual or others exists. All of our direct care staff is trained in Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) and verbal de-escalation techniques.

Seclusion is not a treatment modality, but a last step safety intervention utilized to keep patients and others safe when behaviors presented pose an immediate risk of danger.

Hickory Trail Hospital’s policies and Federal Law protect the privacy of patients’ identities and information. Disclosure of clinical information requires the patient’s (or guardian’s) consent. However, disclosures can occur without consent in certain circumstances, such as by court order or in a medical emergency.

Medical Records can be requested by completing the Authorization to Disclose Medical Health Information form and following the instructions on the back of the form. The receptionist has this form up front during business hours.

  • Electronic items (cell phones, iPods, video games)
  • Prescription medications/herbal supplements (the facility will provide medication)
  • Jewelry
  • Any glass and metal objects (including underwire bras)
  • Scarves, belts, shoe strings, and drawstrings
  • Flammable items (matches, lighters—staff will light cigarettes during break times.)
  • Drugs and alcohol
  • Mouthwash, hairspray, nail polish remover, aerosol sprays (basic toiletries will be provided by the facility.)
  • Stuffed animals, blankets and pillows from home, and hoodie sweatshirts
  • Clothing items with a negative/offensive message or revealing clothing
  • A more detailed list is available upon admission

A therapist will contact you within 24-48 hours of admission discuss your loved one’s treatment and schedule a Family Session. Therapists are available to you seven days a week from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. If a therapist is not available immediately, feel free to leave a voicemail. All calls are returned within 24 hours.

A nurse will communicate with you about medication management and is available to you 24 hours a day; 7 days a week to provide information. Caregivers should feel comfortable contacting the unit at any time day or night to speak to a nurse about their loved one.

The psychiatrist’s primary focus is on direct patient care. However, he/she may contact you during the course of treatment to discuss your loved one’s care. Many times the nurse or therapist can provide the best information on your loved one’s progress.

Only medications prescribed by the attending psychiatrist will be given to your loved one. Upon admission the psychiatrist will evaluate the patient’s presenting symptoms and determine whether or not to continue their current medications.

A nurse will notify you of most medication changes including new medications and increases in medication. In emergency situation, medications may be given without consent.