What is Outpatient Behavioral Health?

Choices For Life of Georgia’s purpose is to provide comprehensive services for children, adolescents and families with mental health or substance use issues that supports the individual in their recovery, stability and wellness in and out of the foster care community. Services are based on diagnosable conditions and are trauma-sensitive, strengths-based, person-centered and collaboratively focused on improving social, emotional, psychological, cognitive and family functioning for healthier individuals and communities. Admission to services within our scope of care is in accordance with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). The community services provided are organized and structured based on the best available evidence of service effectiveness for persons aged 5-21 who meet the eligibility requirements for treatment. Choices For Life is a DBHDD Tier 2 Behavioral Health Service provider.

What are the goals of our outpatient program?

It is our mission to provide professional, trustworthy, collaborative, culturally and linguistically responsive counseling services. We use a holistic approach to healing – body, mind and spirit – all of which suffers damage during years of trauma, abuse and neglect. Resilience is a skill set that can be learned and developed over time.

Our goals are to:

1. Support the recovery of clients and their family members, and to reduce the symptoms that are related to mental health issues, substance use issues or co-occurring issues.
2. Enhance the quality of physical, emotional, cognitive, social and spiritual well-being of persons served.
3. Aid our clients in experiencing success in their community with the knowledge and tools necessary to lead a fulfilling life.

How do we achieve our goals?

To accomplish our goals we utilize a safe, comfortable and respectful environment with a trusting, caring relationship. It is not necessary for an individual to disclose painful experiences to be helped. By using universal precautions and treating all people as if they have been exposed to trauma and by using trauma-informed approaches, healing and recovery can be promoted.

What type of services does Choices For Life of Georgia offer?

Our services include:

• Diagnosis and treatment of mental health symptoms and associated functional impairments.
• Counseling services.
• Resolution of issues resulting from the use of alcohol, drugs or other substances.
• Clinical support of psychosocial adjustments related to life cycle issues.
• Management of co-occurring mental health, substance use and/or health conditions.

Our services are trauma-focused and providers utilize a client-centered approach.

Appointments will be scheduled to meet the needs of the clients and their families. We make every effort to accommodate individual scheduling needs on a case-by-case basis. Services can also be provided in-home, after-school programs, daycare centers and other off-site locations convenient to and agreed upon by consumer and family members. We provide 24/7 accessibility for client communication for after-hours communication with service providers, which includes a two-hour response time to clients in crisis.

Why choose Choices For Life of Georgia?

Choices For Life of Georgia works to provide cultural competent services with staff who interact effectively with people of different cultures to ensure that the needs of all community members are addressed.

We focus on organizational safety, trustworthiness, transparency, cultural sensitivity, collaboration and empowerment among our staff and our clients. This approach recognizes the role trauma plays in the lives of clients and their families and seeks to provide a traumainformed approach by recognizing and accepting symptoms and difficult behaviors as strategies developed to cope with possible trauma.

What type of financial aid/insurance is accepted?

We accept Medicaid, WellCare, Peachstate, Caresource, AmeriGroup, SSD and Tricare clients. We also offer a Sliding Fee Discount Program to all who are unable to pay for their services. We will not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, creed, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, disability, national origin or inability to pay for services.

How do I get started?

We appreciate you choosing Choices For Life of Georgia and have made it easy to get started in one of two ways:

1. Call the agency directly at 229-244-1707 to schedule an intake appointment.
2. Download the referral form below; complete it and fax it to 229-244-1779.