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About Alternative Treatment International, Inc.
Alternative Treatment International, Inc. is located in tropical Clearwater, Florida. The experienced staff, comfortable facility, and individualized services provide a safe, therapeutic environment where those who suffer from the effects of alcohol, substances, depression, trauma and other emotional and spiritual disorders can heal
the Mind-Body-Spirit-Environment®
in a peaceful setting. We have combined the best of both worlds, outstanding therapy in a tropical location.
The Alternative Treatment International, Inc. staff is comprised of licensed, professional, experienced addiction recovery psychologists and therapists, all specializing in different aspects of addictions, recovery and trauma healing. This provides our clients with individual and specific attention in all areas of the
Mind-Body-Spirit-Environment®. We teach spiritual healing techniques along with clinical psychotherapy and alternative healing techniques.
Psychiatric Disorders
Many clients experience complications of psychiatric disorders along with their addiction problems. Disorders such as depression, bi-polar disorder, eating disorders, and a variety of other symptoms are evaluated by our clinical team to develop the most effective course of psychological and medical protocols. Each client is educated in managing the symptoms of both their addiction and psychiatric disorder simultaneously. This clinical evaluation and treatment enables our clients to achieve success in recovery even after many unsuccessful attempts in the past.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorders and Traumas
The Alternative Treatment International, Inc. clinical staff specializes in treating early childhood and other traumas. It is common that clients with addictions experience significant trauma in their life that interferes with their recovery process. When these issues are not addressed and treated appropriately in the clinical setting, many clients experience addiction relapse. For many, trauma, whether conscious or unconscious is an underlying precipitating factor in their lifestyle dysfunction. Clients receive individual and group psychotherapy to reach the very core of their most sensitive treatment issues. This therapeutic milieu helps the client to resolve the harmful and emotionally painful events in his or her life. Trauma therapy opens the door to successful recovery for many people who have experienced relapse following traditional treatment that addressed only addictions.
Family Program
We encourage our client's family members to visit the program to explore the core issues that surround the chemical dependency or other destructive behaviors. Our clinical staff prepares the family members to realize the roles they play in the addiction and recovery process. As the whole family works through the goals of recovery, the opportunity for success of the client, along with the emotional health of the whole family is greatly enhanced. Client's families are contacted regularly upon authorization for clinical progress updates and encouragement to be involved in the clinical process.
Aftercare Program
Clients may attend the scheduled Aftercare Program.
Clients and family members are also referred to therapists
in their home cities and countries for further care
and education and to continue the therapeutic and recovery
process. We also offer EXTENDED CARE here at
the Clearwater program for those clients that require
longer periods of stay. Our clinical staff is available
and dedicated to the health
and well being of the entire family unit.
Success in Recovery!
Success at Alternative Treatment International!
When clients inquire about Alternative Treatment International (“A.T.I.”) and its services, they frequently ask about success rates.
Success can be and is defined in many different ways. How does a program define success for its clients, as well as success for the program in general?
Some view client success in very simplistic black and white terms. After completing a treatment program, did the client take drugs or drink alcohol? If they remain
abstinent, they are successful. If they slipped or had a relapse, they were unsuccessful. This is a very simple and measurable way of gauging success. Either they did or they didn’t. What this definition of success in recovery lacks, is the consideration of the whole being, (mind,
body and spirit), its circumstances and, of course, the Psychology of Individual Differences.
Here at A.T.I., we have our own philosophy of what success means for a client as well as how we define success for our program. One very important reason for our exceptional client success is that we are and remain a small program, only accepting a maximum of 12 clients at one time. The small population allows for a great deal of individual attention and intensive individual psychotherapy. In this way we are able to work in depth to uncover and resolve each clients’ problems and issues, both key elements in their success in recovery.
Having developed close bonds with their primary therapist, many clients wish to keep in contact with the program by phone or e-mail. They tell us how well they are doing and how “their experience at
A.T.I. had changed their thinking and changed their life.
- "I am still sober and feeling great! Thanks for everything.” K.K.
- "I'm so excited. This and everything that I’ve always wanted just seem to be falling into
place.” J.D.
- "Because of the insight you gave me, I don’t view not drinking as a punishment, like
something that has been taken away from me. I have come to view it as a lifestyle decision and that I get to make new choices. Thank you!” M.F.
- “I began my treatment with hope to uncover and resolve my addictions to alcohol and
drugs. After 28 days of treatment and six months clean, I feel a thank you is due. For fifteen years of my life I only dreamed of the person I am today.” K.R.
A.T.I. mails a brief questionnaire to its clients that successfully completed
their program. The questionnaire includes questions about client success. When
we view client success, we look at the circumstances surrounding the whole
person, not only the addiction or psycho-emotional disorder. Of course we want
sobriety for our clients, as this is the first step to finding the sense of hope
and peace that they and we all seek. In determining a broader and more realistic
range of success, we are interested in areas of each clients’ life that include,
general health, relationships, exercise, diet, spirituality, aftercare, etc.
Questionnaire examples that determine client success;
- Was your experience at A.T.I. a positive one?
(This information assists us in constantly striving to improve our clinical and facility operations.)
- Did you/are you attending aftercare in your home area?
(Do our clients continue to participate in therapy when they leave us as recommended by their
A.T.I. therapist?)
- Have you continued to improve your health regimen since leaving
A.T.I.?
(Recovery relies on good health and living a healthy lifestyle to
succeed. We encourage our clients in a holistic view toward recovery,
incorporating Mind-Body-Spirit-Environment®.
- Are you employed or attending school?
(Employment and pursuing an education are two parts of a person’s life that provide feelings of self worth and self esteem.)
- Have your family and other relationships improved?
(Improvement in relationships indicates that our client has made some of the changes that were identified and is applying the tools he/she learned to improve relationships.)
Have you continued physical fitness exercise or sports?
(Our clients are strongly encouraged to continue the physical fitness regimen that they began at
A.T.I. as well as others that may be helpful.)
Have you continued to pursue a spiritual practice?
(Those clients that adopt and continue a spiritual practice in their life apply a sense of strength and peace that they need for their own recovery.)
STATISTICS
- A positive experience at A.T.I.?
( 94% stated that they had a positive experience at Alternative Treatment International.)
- Attending Aftercare?
( 70% of clients that successfully completed the program continue to attend aftercare of some kind.)
- Improve health regimen?
( 81% of clients continue to improve their health regimen and its application to their recovery.)
- Employed or in school?
(70% of clients are employed or in school. Some clients cannot work, do not have to, or are retired.)
- Family or relationships improved?
( 88% of clients report that their family and other relationships have improved and are supportive of recovery.)
- Physical Fitness Regimen?
( 70% of clients report continuing a physical fitness regimen to improve health and recovery.)
- Spiritual Practice?
( 60% of clients continue a spiritual practice of some type.)
- Attended another program or out-patient counseling?
(Only 25% of the clients stated that they had attended another program or had out-patient counseling.)
- Life Improved?
(81% stated that their life has improved since they left A.T.I.)
When clients of family members ask about our success rate, what we tell them is the truth about the outstanding success in recovery experienced by our clients, our criteria for success and what our former clients tell us about the improvements in their lives since leaving Alternative Treatment International.
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Alternative Treatment International, Inc. values
your privacy and confidentiality!
This notice describes how medical information about
you may be used and disclosed and how you can get
access to this information. Please review it
carefully.
If you have any questions or need assistance
concerning this information you may contact the
Privacy Officer at 727-446-1909.
We understand that information about you may be
sensitive and personal. It is because of this that we
are fully committed to:
·
Collecting and handling
information about you in a responsible,
professional, and ethical manner
·
Protecting and
safeguarding your information to the best of our
ability
·
Ensuring information that
is kept is as accurate as possible
·
Abiding by all laws and
regulations governing privacy and security
When you enter services at Alternative Treatment
International, Inc. (“A.T.I.”), a client record is put
together for you. Information is kept
in both electronic and hard copy formats.
Typically, this information includes such things as:
· Name, address, age, race,
ethnicity, etc.
· How you got referred to
us and who referred you
· For what you are seeking
services
· A history of things
concerning your background, health, family, alcohol
and drug use, etc.
· Diagnosis
· Recommendations for
services
· Treatment plans including
specific goals and objectives
· Progress Notes
· Payment and billing
information
This record serves as:
·
A legal medical record / document
·
A basis for planning and tracking your care and
services with A.T.I.
·
A means of communicating among ourselves and other
appropriate service providers
·
A basis for accurate billing and collections
·
A source of data for determining successes and
outcomes
·
A source of data for program/service planning
Understanding what is your record and how this
information is used helps us to provide you with
better accountable services, and it helps you to feel
more confident in the care and services you receive.
A.T.I. is required by law to maintain the privacy of
certain health care information about its Clients and
must comply with the terms of this Notice. The law
also requires health care providers like A.T.I. to give
you a Notice like this one and to follow its
standards.
A.T.I. may need to change its privacy
practices from time to time. Before making such
changes, however, A.T.I. will modify this Notice and
begin distributing it to patients when they are
treated by A.T.I.. These new practices will then apply to
all information held by A.T.I.. At any time, anyone has a
right to get a paper copy of the latest version of
this Notice by asking any A.T.I. staff member.
Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Care
Information
Although your health record is the
physical property of A.T.I., the information belongs to
you. In accordance with federal laws (42 CFR Part 2
and 45 CFR 164) you have several rights that A.T.I. is
committed to upholding. Those rights include:
· Accessing, inspecting and
obtaining copies of your health care information
held by A.T.I. by making a request in writing.
· A request that A.T.I. amend
or correct information about you. To make such a
change, A.T.I. will ask you to make the request in
writing with a description of the reason you want
your record changed. A.T.I. may not always agree to
such requests.
· Obtaining a listing of
information that has been disclosed to others.
· Requesting restrictions
on some of the ways A.T.I. uses and discloses your
information. These restrictions can go beyond the
restrictions already in the law. However, A.T.I. may
not always agree to implement these additional
restrictions.
· Requesting that we
communicate with you in a certain way or at a
certain location. For example, requesting that we
not call you at home or that we send mail to a
specific address.
· Revoking your
authorizations (written permission) that allows us
to disclose information to others.
· Objecting to his or her
inclusion in a client directory, if applicable, or
to disclosures for purposes of notification.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to:
·
Maintain and safeguard your privacy to the best of our
ability
·
Notify you of our privacy practices
·
Abide by all applicable laws concerning privacy and
confidentiality
·
Attempt to accommodate reasonable requests you may
make concerning your information
·
Notify you if we are unable to accommodate any of your
requests
·
Notify you of any changes to our privacy policies,
procedures, and practices
To Who Do These Privacy Laws and Regulations Apply?
The laws, regulations, policies, procedures and
practices concerning privacy and confidentiality apply
to anyone who works for and/or represents A.T.I.. This
includes all of our employees, contractors, students,
interns, and volunteers.
When We Can and Cannot Disclose Information About
You?
Generally, we may not say to a person outside of
our agency that you attend services here, or disclose
any information identifying you as a client except
in the following cases:
·
You give us written authorization;
·
To medical personnel in a medical emergency;
·
To appropriate authorities to report suspected child
abuse or neglect;
·
To report a crime committed on A.T.I.’s premises or
against A.T.I. personnel;
·
As allowed by a court order;
·
To qualified personnel in the course of research,
auditing, or program evaluations.
A.T.I. and Your Protected Health Care Information
As part of our day-to-day
activities, A.T.I. may need to use and disclose (share)
your protected health care information for several
purposes without first getting your written approval.
Those purposes include:
For Treatment Purposes
A.T.I. provides its services in an
environment of teamwork. As a result, we will share
information about you with each other in the course of
your treatment/ services. For example, a counselor may
need to discuss specific things about you with other
counselors or their supervisor. This is to ensure that
you receive the best care and services possible. Also,
for example, A.T.I. might discuss your condition and
medications with your pharmacist or call to arrange
your appointments, provide you with information about
new medications, treatments, benefits and services
that are available to you.
For Billing Purposes
We may use your information in
order to bill and receive payment for the services we
provide. For example, we may have to contact your
insurance company in order for you to receive certain
services and for them to be able to pay us for those
services. Typically, they require us to disclose to
them the types of services you are receiving, your
diagnosis, your treatment goals and your progress.
For Operational Purposes
We may also use your information in
the course of operating our facility, programs and
services. For example, supervisors and managers may
have access to your information in order to make sure
you are receiving appropriate services and so we may
plan for services and programs in the future. Also,
for example, A.T.I. may provide information to government
officials who oversee health care or are working on
threats to public safety from unsafe products,
diseases, abuse, neglect, domestic violence and other
crimes. In addition, we have a quality assurance
program that conducts audits of records to ensure
accuracy, administers surveys to determine the
successes of our services, and generates numerous
reports concerning the status of our clients and
services.
Other Service Providers and Business Associates
Many of our clients are referred to
us by other service providers and many times we refer
clients to others. In most all cases, we will ask for
you to specifically authorize us to communicate with
them. However, we do have written agreements with many
of these providers that allow us to share basic
information concerning your referral and status. For
example, if you are referred to us by the Department
of Social Services, we may notify them that you have
participated, etc. However, we may not talk to them
about your diagnosis, your specific history, etc.
unless
we have written authorization
from you to do so. Others that may come in contact
with your information are covered by written
agreements that state they will abide by applicable
laws and that they cannot release the information they
have to others without your written permission. These
arrangements help us to provide you with the best
possible services while helping to maintain your
privacy and confidentiality. No other uses and
disclosures of your protected health care infor-
mation will occur without your written authorization.
And, if you sign such an authorization, you have the
right to cancel it at any time.
Family Members, Significant Others
and Personal Representatives
In most cases, in order for us to
talk with your family members or significant others
about your care and services, we would need to have
your written authorization. If you have someone who
has been legally appointed as your personal
representative and they have written evidence of this,
we may communicate certain information with them.
Minimum Information Necessary
Whenever Alternative Treatment
International discloses your information to others -
whether that is internally or externally - we will
only provide the minimum amount necessary to fulfill
the purpose of that disclosure. For example, if you
have a medical emergency, we may disclose to a
paramedic that you have a history of seizures or we
know that you are taking a certain medication, but we
would not need to tell them about your DUI three years
ago.
To Report A Problem or For More Information
If you have any questions or
complaints about the way A.T.I. handles your protected
health care information, or if you believe your
privacy rights have been violated, or if you would
like to request an amendment, contact the A.T.I. Privacy
Officer or the Office for Civil Rights: Privacy
Officer at 727-446-1909 / Office for Civil Rights,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200
Independence Ave., S.W., Room 509F, HHH Bldg.,
Washington, DC 20201.
Please note that there will be no retaliation
against you for filing a complaint or making requests
regarding your healthcare information, or for
disagreeing with A.T.I.-related decisions. |
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