This is the worst place to turn to if you are in need of immediate help. The front desk is completely indifferent even if you're having a crisis. They continuously canceled my appointments and didn't follow. If I hadn't found someone else that offered me treatment right away ...
About Dorchester Mental Health Center
The Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center has two locations, including the Charleston Clinic in Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston Clinic offers many services, including mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.
The clinic has bilingual staff to assist Spanish speaking clients. Some additional services include mental health court, jail services, and help for parents who have children with significant developmental delays. The clinic accepts insurance from many providers, including private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and funds from other state funded programs.
Accessing Clinic Based Services in Charleston, South Carolina
The clinic is open Monday through Friday and is only nine miles from Charleston City Market, a historic landmark. The market is free and a fun place to stroll and window shop. You can also hop on the free Dash Downtown Trolley to explore the area.
Clinic based services at the center include psychiatric assessments, group therapy, individual therapy, and case management. Case management services assist clients in navigating their treatment options. For services not provided at the clinic, they’ll link clients to community resources and ensure successful treatment.
Unique and Innovative Support Services in Charleston County, South Carolina
The clinic offers many special programs, including the First Responder Support Team (FRST). The treatment team recognizes the unique needs of first responders and their family members. The services include crisis intervention, individual counseling, and couples and family counseling.
The team works with first responders who need help with alcohol and other substance use problems. If necessary, they can refer clients to higher levels of care beyond outpatient treatment. Because of the increased need for confidentiality for these public servants, the services are offered in a discrete location separate from the clinic.
Additionally, the FRST program offers medical assessments for medication monitoring. They offer programs that include meetings, activities, and events to educate and support the first responder community.
The clinic offers many services to help residents in the local community with mental health, substance use, housing, and other pressing needs.
Fact checked and written by:
Susan Bertram, BA
Edited by:
Courtney Myers, MS
Facility Overview
10 Number of Available Beds
Latest Reviews
DO NOT USE THE HAND SANITIZER! MY husband really needed mental health help(untreated bipolar disorder) ,and the lady he had an appointment with turned him away because he "reeked of alcohol" but he hasn't drank in over 3 years because he is a recovering alcoholic. They referred him to the Charleston Center who could not help him because he is not an addict or actively drinking alcohol.
I’ve been contacting my therapist for 5 months now and appointments I’ve called about and texted about were all marked as missed with no word back from my therapist. That’s not only bad for my record but extremely unhelpful on this business’ part. She also was made aware that I was living in my vehicle and homeless at the time. I hope the services can improve for all those in Charleston, and soon.
If you care about someone and you’d like to get them help… go somewhere else. This is not the place.
Rehab Score
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4.5 / 10
Other Forms of Payment
Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.
Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.
Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.
Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.
Military members, veterans, and eligible dependents have access to specific insurance programs that help them get the care they need. TRICARE and VA insurance can help you access low cost or no cost addiction and mental health treatment. Programs that accept military insurance often have targeted treatment focused on the unique challenges military members, veterans, and their families face.
Addiction Treatments
Levels of Care
Outpatient Programs (OP) are for those seeking mental rehab or drug rehab, but who also stay at home every night. The main difference between outpatient treatment (OP) and intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) lies in the amount of hours the patient spends at the facility. Most of the time an outpatient program is designed for someone who has completed an inpatient stay and is looking to continue their growth in recovery. Outpatient is not meant to be the starting point, it is commonly referred to as aftercare.
Treatments
Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
Mental health rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and more. Mental health professionals at these facilities are trained to understand and treat mental health issues, both in individual and group settings.
Programs
Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.
Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.
Clinical Services
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.
Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.
Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.
Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.
In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.
Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.
Staff
Jennifer Brush, LPC, CPM
Executive Director
Stacy Mathis, M.A., CPM
Chief of Staff, & PI Director
Michael Kassur, MD
Medical Director
Taryn Reed, CPM
Center Administrator
David Gehr, LPC, CPM
Charleston Clinic Director
Contact Information
2100 Charlie Hall Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29414
Get Help Now - 803-575-2354
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