Optimus Healthcare
Optimus Health Care Inc., located in Bridgeport, CT, focuses on internal medicine and nursing. As a federally qualified health center (FQHC), it serves lower Fairfield County through its extensive network of primary care sites, school-based health centers, and specialized programs.
With a mission to provide care to all, regardless of the ability to pay, Optimus Health Care ensures access to essential health services for the uninsured and underinsured residents. Notably, Dr. Paula Garay and Dr. Patricia Sliwinski were recognized for their contributions to healthcare in 2023.
- Offers a patient-centered medical home model with enhanced services (PCMH+).
- Operates six school-based health centers and three homeless health center sites.
- Provides both urgent and primary care, including treatments for acute and chronic illnesses.
- Features comprehensive behavioral health services, including substance abuse treatment and mental health counseling.
Optimus Health Care treats issues including substance abuse, diabetes, and mental health disorders. Their services benefit uninsured and underinsured residents of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds in southwestern Connecticut.
- 2+ Accreditations
- 2 Conditions Treated
- LGBTQ+ Allied
- Insurance Accepted
- 2 Levels of Care
- Speaks English
- 14 Therapies & Programs
Accreditations
State License
JCAHO
Staff
- Karen A. DaleyChief Executive OfficerOperations leader with nursing and legal experience.
- Cari Ann BulzoneChief Operating OfficerExperienced in management, leadership, and clinical skills.
- Maria Xavier-DowskiChief Human Resources and Administrative OfficerHR expert with experience in mergers and acquisitions.
- Katherine A. Golar, MD, FACPChief Medical, Health & Wellness OfficerMedical professional with expertise in health and wellness.
- Dr. Alix PoseQuality and Transformation OfficerExperienced in quality and transformation in community health care.
Conditions and Issues Treated
Dual-Diagnosis
A person who struggles with addiction and a mental health condition suffers from a dual diagnosis. This means that they have two issues that must be treated. The specific mental health issues that the patient at Optimus Healthcare might have include but are not limited to:
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Anxiety
- PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
The specific addiction issues that the patient might have include but are not limited to:
- Alcoholism
- Drug Addiction (i.e., Cocaine, Meth, and other stimulants, Marijuana, and Ecstasy)
The combination of the two illnesses can be tough to treat. Taking care of one or the other is tough, and taking care of both cannot be done alone. A patient who receives dual diagnosis treatment will be given the best chance at becoming sober.
Levels of Care
This center offers a variety of custom treatment tailored to individual recovery. Currently available are Dual-Diagnosis, Outpatient, with additional therapies available as listed below.
An outpatient treatment program is set up to help with alcohol or drug addiction or a co-occurring disorder. The treatment must attend the treatment facility for their therapy and other programs but return home each night. The frequency of mandatory attendance decreases after much of the treatment program is complete. The treatment programs are monitored by the treatment facility and case managers who work for a judge or judge’s office. A treatment program may be performed out of a treatment facility, treatment clinic, or treatment center.
The benefits of outpatient treatment programs are many. One of the most beneficial treatment programs is that it allows treatment for clients who cannot afford or may not be able to attend treatment at a treatment facility, treatment center, or treatment clinic full-time. Another benefit of treatment programs is that they reduce crime rates because treatment allows people to treat their addiction.
Therapies & Programs
Individualized Treatment is essential because it gives addicts the ability to participate in a program that meets their unique needs. An addict should work with professionals who understand what they’re going through, especially if the addict is actively using. Finding the right treatment program for an addict is difficult, but it’s even harder without communicating with those who have experience treating your specific situation.
Couples therapy is a treatment approach where the patients and their partners are engaged together. When a person becomes a victim of substance abuse, it affects the patient and his people, particularly his partner. Their relationship can become strained due to lack of communication, financial issues, loss of trust, lack of intimacy, and physical abuse in more severe cases. Couples therapy addresses these issues and tries to rebuild the trust between the partners. The partner’s involvement in the process will result in greater chances of treatment success and sustained recovery.
The therapies typically involve all family members, potentially including siblings, children, and parents who play a role in their daily lives. These sessions can be essential because they address past issues that may have affected an addict or alcoholic’s recovery process. They provide support during this time when it is needed most!
A family therapy session, often called a family meeting or intervention, is a necessary process that helps loved ones of addicts see their situation in a new light. It’s also one of the most challenging things families will ever have to do when they’re facing a loved one battling addiction or alcoholism.
Group therapy sessions provide recovering addicts with a chance to cope with everyday situations that many face. Group therapy sessions are held in rehab facilities, clinics, churches or community centers that offer drug addiction treatment.
People who attend these groups are encouraged to voice their feelings and support other addicts in recovery. This helps group members strengthen their own recovery program while cheering on others who are struggling with sobriety.
Trauma therapy allows them to work through past trauma to have peace of mind and begin down the road of sobriety. The therapist will work with the individual to help them understand their past and present relationships. Patients may often believe that something is inherently wrong with them or they are unworthy of love. The therapist aims to correct these negative feelings and behaviors by helping the person realize that their actions do not reflect who they truly are.
Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is one form of cognitive behavioral treatment. This type of therapy typically involves both individual and group sessions with a therapist on a regular basis.
It uses concepts like mindfulness training to help addicts learn how to identify their thoughts, feelings, behaviors and the experiences that trigger them so they can avoid relapse. DBT also teaches addicts how to regulate their emotions, which can make it easier for them to avoid or overcome negative thoughts and cravings.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective treatment option based on the idea that how we feel, think and act all interact together. Our thoughts determine our feelings and behaviors; our feelings affect our thoughts, and our behaviors change our thoughts and feelings. CBT helps people explore their thoughts for problems (or false beliefs) that influence their mood and actions. By examining their thoughts and beliefs, people can recognize distorted or irrational and modify them to more realistic, positive ones. CBT is very goal-oriented, which means that the therapist and patient work together on a specific problem while learning to become more adept at solving future problems.
CBT works well with a broad range of people, including those with depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and problems with anger. In addition to helping a client focus on thoughts that can be changed, CBT also allows them to take an active role in their treatment. This is called a collaborative approach because both patient and therapist work together to produce the best possible results.
CBT is based on cognitive learning theory, which says that our behavior is a learned response to our environment. Cognitive refers to thoughts and beliefs, while behavioral relates to actions or deeds. CBT helps people learn ways of behaving to improve their quality of life by focusing on specific problems or goals they want to achieve. Sometimes, CBT is used alone; other times, it is combined with medications or brief counseling techniques such as solution-focused and motivational interviewing to achieve optimal results for the patient.
For people trying to kick their drug addiction, nutrition therapy at Optimus Healthcare is a great tool. Nutritional deficiencies gradually creep in, and before you know it, you’re facing health problems. It helps restore balance to the body, and for many addicts, it represents the first step on the road to recovery.
Nicotine replacement therapy was developed to help people quit smoking. It does so by providing small doses of nicotine that control cravings and break smoking habits.
NRTC products like skin patches and gum deliver low-dose nicotine that prevents cravings, making the transition from smoker to non-smoker easier.
Patient Experience
Experiential Therapy at Optimus Healthcare
Drug addicts can benefit from experiential therapy, which involves real-time activities to process trauma and emotions. This type of therapy is available at Optimus Healthcare and can help reduce the need to resort to drugs and alcohol. Activities may include role-playing, use of props, and others. The individual learns to release suppressed thoughts that lead to negative feelings and embrace the present moment. Experiential therapy is beneficial in treating various disorders, including drug addiction, eating, and behavioral disorders.
Payment Options
For specific insurance or payment methods please contact us.
Is your insurance accepted?
Ask an expert, call (888) 674-0062
Location & Contact
982 East Main street
Bridgeport, CT 6608
Phone Number
(203) 696-3260
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Location
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982 East Main street
Bridgeport, CT 6608 -
(203) 696-3260
Accepts
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AgeAdults (20+), Children (0-12), Seniors (65+), Teenagers
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ModalityCouples, Family, Group, Individuals
Listed October 25, 2021
Updated June 24, 2024
Bridgeport, Connecticut Addiction and Treatment
Connecticut has a higher rate of substance abuse and addiction than the national average. The state ranks in the top 10 in the country for illicit drug dependence among those ages 18 to 25. In 2010, there were 9,211 people admitted to an alcohol treatment facility for alcohol abuse combined with a secondary drug. Connecticut ranked fifth in the United States of America for the number of fatalities involving drunk driving in 2014.
Bridgeport boasts lively arts, entertainment venues like the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater, and outdoor attractions including Seaside Park and the Beardsley Zoo. In 2020, Fairfield County reported 329 opioid-related deaths and 2,684 opioid-related admissions, while fentanyl was involved in 60.5% of overdose deaths from 2015-2021.
Treatment in Nearby Cities
- Jewett City, CT (68.6 mi.)
- Ridgefield, CT (17.8 mi.)
- Dayville, CT (81.0 mi.)
- Woodstock, CT (81.6 mi.)
- Stamford, CT (20.9 mi.)
Centers near Optimus Healthcare
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