Discharge Planning

From the day a patient is admitted to any of Walden’s programs, the staff begins the process of developing a discharge plan that will create a smooth transition to another level of care or back to the community.

The staff works with each patient, their family member(s) and the patient’s outside providers to implement the plan. If a patient is in our inpatient treatment center, a plan may include, but is not limited to, discharge to an outpatient program, a day treatment program, a group home or a residential facility. If a patient is being treated in outpatient programs, the plan could include a day treatment program or inpatient program.

Since discharge itself creates a number of challenges, it is essential that discharge planning begin upon the start of treatment in order to allow sufficient time for the development of a comprehensive plan.

Walden staff can help by:

• Working together with a patient’s outside provider(s) to create and implement a discharge plan;
• Providing patients with appropriate program referrals consistent with their needs to ensure continued progress;
• Arranging outpatient appointments for patients;
• Identifying a primary care physician for patients, if needed, to manage all medical issues.