Sheppard Pratt Trauma Unit - Denied As Goals Do Not Fit Program

[KatLover93]

I just had a question for anyone who’s been here. I was denied because my goals did not fit their program or something and wanted to know what others used as goals??

Mine were
1. Reduce symptoms enough that I can go back to work
2. Learn to cope with triggers in a healthy manner
3. Avoid acute hospitalization in the future


(3 is Because I was hospitalized 4x in 2018 for ptsd triggers causing suicidal thoughts and self harm)

I thought these were goals that made sense with the kind of treatment Sheppard Pratt does so I’m really really not sure what they want to hear. I have become extremely suicidal again in the last few days and my therapist called SP about this and they asked me to resubmit a few of the application papers and one was the goals sheet. I REALLY need this program (because the acute hospitalization is 1. Not helping and 2. The hospital I usually go to has changed things for the worst and last time I went I came out worse than I went in. SP is nearby and the program sounds like it covers everything I need to learn to cope better when I need an inpatient treatment since outpatient isn’t working out for me)

Please please help me come up with goals that they want to hear because I’m at a loss I don’t know what other option I have and I have no clue what they want to hear and neither does my therapist!! If I don’t come up with different goals they’ll just deny me again and I’ll just end up in the other hospital and I’ll just be worse yet again and I can’t keep doing this.

 

[EveHarrington]

It’s a hospital unit and as such is designed to keep people safe from themselves or others. What you write doesn’t indicate that you are either of these, now.

 

[KatLover93]

but on another part of the application it asks about suicidal thoughts and the answer was yes so I don’t see why it would need repeated that not killing myself is a goal? Even though number 2 is basically that just in a vague way (my current coping skill is self harming so I clearly need a healthy coping skill) And there needs to be 3 goals so even if that was one of the goals I still don’t know what the other two are supposed to be

 

[EveHarrington]

You can have suicidal thoughts 24/7/365 and not need hospitalization.

They need to know that you are in danger of hurting yourself.

 

[KatLover93]

i know that. I don’t know how else to word the fact that I need help before I kill myself though. I’m already self harming, that’s in my application. My therapist has stressed to them that I’m just trying to hold off on acute hospitalization (since it made me worse last time) because I’m waiting to be accepted to the program. I don’t know what else they need though. Do I need to straight up write “goal: not to kill myself”? Like... I really don’t know that’s why I’m asking for help

 

[Cypress]

Maybe say for number 2. I would like to learn to manage triggers so that I no longer respond to them by becoming suicidal and hurting myself. But saying straight up the your goal is not to kill yourself is pretty honest and compelling - I'd go with that.

 

[EveHarrington]

Do I need to straight up write “goal: not to kill myself”? Like... I really don’t know that’s why I’m asking for help

But they don’t know that’s why you’re asking for help.

 

[KatLover93]

But they don’t know that’s why you’re asking for help.

No.. that’s why I’m asking for help in this group

 

[EveHarrington]

You have to spell everything out in your application. Put it ALL out there. Leave nothing up to assumption.

 

[KatLover93]

okay