Secure Treatment

A Dedicated Facility for Individuals with Severe Neurobehavioral Disabilities

When the brain is injured, a host of physical, cognitive and behavioral issues can result. In the case of severe brain injury, these effects are often life-changing. In some cases, individuals who have experienced severe brain trauma will develop disruptive and potentially life-threatening behaviors that can include:

• Aggression towards others
• Self-injury
• Behavioral Dyscontrol
• Destruction of property.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of brain injury rehabilitation facilities are not designed to handle these types of patients due to the intensity and frequency of their behavioral outbursts. These individuals require a higher level of care and staff trained to deal appropriately with their special needs.

So what typically happens to these individuals after initial treatment?  In many cases, they are transferred to locked psychiatric facilities where the staff is ill- equipped to address their special needs—or worse, these patients are discharged to a home setting where they can injure themselves, a loved one, or pose a serious safety risk to the community.

The Alternative: The Secure Treatment Option

Fortunately, there’s a specialized treatment center dedicated to people with severe neurobehavioral problems: the Secure Treatment Option (STO) at the Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

At NRI we believe that just because someone exhibits severely disruptive and dangerous behaviors, it doesn’t mean they can’t—or shouldn’t—participate in a full brain injury rehabilitation program. The Secure Treatment Option provides care within a locked, secured hospital unit—with the availability of around-the-clock enhanced medical and nursing supervision. The STO also has staff members specially trained to intervene when a patient exhibits difficult-to-manage or self-destructive behaviors. In addition, our team of therapists is ready to teach new learning skills to these individuals, helping them to regain control over their behaviors and their lives.

The STO uses a highly structured treatment model with individually designed behavioral intervention plans tailored to the needs of the individual. We look beyond the controls offered by medication toward understanding the behavior in the context of the patient’s neurological injury. When necessary, special treatment and rehabilitation plans are designed to address dual-diagnosis issues of substance abuse and/or co-existing mental health disorders.

The Secure Treatment Option program includes:

• A secured, locked and controlled unit in a hospital setting.
• Physician services in neurology, psychiatry and internal medicine
• 24-hour nursing supervision
• Neuropsychology
• Behavioral therapy
• Speech and language therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Cognitive therapy
• Recreational therapy
• Social work
• Individual and family therapy
• Intensive supervision/enhanced staffing services available as needed

Progressive Rehabilitation Leading Towards Community Return

The goal of the Secure Treatment Option is to help each patient achieve the behavioral stability they need to move into a less restrictive rehabilitation setting and make positive strides towards independence.

This program makes use of positive opportunities, support and encouragement to maximize therapeutic benefits, identify goals and measure progress toward independence. At NRI, we’ve found that even patients with long histories of previous institutionalization and placement failure can achieve positive outcomes after being admitted to the Secure Treatment Option.

A Life of Independence & Fulfillment Awaits

Having a neurobehavioral syndrome following a brain injury doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of limited options. We believe that most individuals with severe neurobehavioral problems and disruptive behaviors can reacquire internal controls through a carefully designed, comprehensive rehabilitation program.

Our mission is to assist every patient in making strides towards returning to a high quality of life with family and friends in a community setting.

Respect, Dignity, & Compassion

At NRI, we believe that every patient, no matter what their disability, deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion. If you feel that the NRI Secure Treatment Option can be of help to a friend or loved one with severe neurobehavioral problems, please call us at 888.298.HOPE (4673).

We can help, there is hope for a better life after brain injury