Southside Behavioral Health – Halifax Children & Family Services/Adult Services

Southside Behavioral Health is a nonprofit organization that opened in 1972 under the name Southside Community Services Board. They have multiple locations, including the Southside Behavioral Health Children and Family Services on Hamilton Boulevard in South Boston, Virginia. They offer outpatient addiction and mental health disorder treatment services. The facility accepts insurance, and they offer a sliding scale fee plan for the uninsured.

South Boston, Virginia Outpatient Treatment Services

One of the things I like about the facility in South Boston is that they treat the whole family. Whether it’s a young child or an older adult, they have treatment programs to help.

The licensed staff helps clients with addiction through specialized treatment plans that are customized to each client. A child’s needs aren’t the same as an adult’s. Case managers help connect clients to the support and resources they need. Resources include psychiatric services for medication management and educational, social, and vocational services.

To be eligible for the outpatient SUD program, the teens and kids must have a diagnosed SUD, a serious emotional disorder, or both, or they may have high risk behaviors associated with substance use.

The Seven Challenges SUD Treatment Program for Better Outcomes

One of the more unique programs I noted here is the Seven Challenges SUD treatment program. The program is for adolescents and meets them where they are in their drug use and recovery journey. Because most teens don’t seek treatment but are forced into it by parents, the program works to avoid power struggles and strives to get an honest commitment from the teens.

Instead of convincing teens they have a problem, the program uses a slow, respectful approach combined with the power of education. The teens work through the seven challenges while taking responsibility for their actions and gaining the tools they need to avoid future substance use.

The program helps teens identify underlying co-occurring mental health issues that may be contributing to their substance use. Another great thing about the program is it’s culturally and racially sensitive and acknowledges and accommodates teens from diverse backgrounds.