By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

High Plains Mental Health launches new services today.

The agency, which serves 20 counties in northwest Kansas, has announced services to treat individuals and their families suffering from substance abuse disorders.

According to  HPMH outpatient therapist Jennifer Colby, licensed specialist in clinical social work and licensed addiction counselor, the new services are exciting because there are few facilities in northwest Kansas that can treat “co-occurring” issues.

“When someone has a problem with drugs and alcohol, but then they also maybe have anxiety and depression or (are) bipolar,” she explained, “both of them interact together and you can’t treat one of them without treating the other.”

Colby, one of two new substance abuse therapists at the clinic,  said HPMH offered substance abuse treatment “many years ago,” and the facility is excited to provide the services again as the guidelines for substance abuse treatment is changing.

“There is a big push to integrated treatment in which people with substance abuse use and mental health (needs) really need treatment together,” she said. “So this is kind of exciting, because people can get treatment under one roof.”

Colby said the department offers individual and group therapy and help for anyone with substance abuse concerns, including family members of a person with substance abuse issues who want support.

The department also offers personal alcohol and drug assessments.   According to community prevention, education and outreach manager Ken Loos the assessments are not for court purposes but to assist with treatment planning.

For more information, call (785) 628-2871 or visit the agency’s website.