Process of Admission and Level of Care Determination

  1.  Referral or Inquiry

Individuals may be referred by healthcare providers, family members, or may self-refer. Initial contact can be made by phone or through an Epic consult (for internal UTHealth providers). To refer by phone, please call 713-500-4500.If you are an internal provider with Epic access and need assistance placing a consult, please reach out via the BSC Co-Occurring Disorders chat, our team is happy to support you.

  1. Initial Screening

A member of our team will conduct a brief phone screening to determine basic eligibility (age 18+, co-occurring mental health and substance use needs, medical stability).

  1. Comprehensive Assessment

If eligible, the individual is scheduled for an in-depth biopsychosocial assessment using American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) structured assessment to determine appropriate level of care (PHP or IOP). If an individual would benefit from a higher level of care than they’re currently ready for, we support entry at their current stage and collaborate on a readiness plan.

  1. Treatment Planning

Following assessment, a personalized treatment plan is collaboratively developed with the participant, including therapy, case management, group programming, and medication support as needed.

  1. Program Start

Once admitted, participants begin attending structured group and individual sessions at the assigned level of care. The length of stay is individualized and reviewed weekly by the clinical team.

  1. Reassessment & Step-Down Planning

Patients are regularly reassessed to adjust care as needed—stepping down in intensity when clinically appropriate or transitioning to aftercare support. All patients are reassessed by their clinician bi-weekly utilizing ASAM criteria. Based on this information, patients are able to either step-up to a higher level of care or continue in stepped-care programming.