A multidisciplinary treatment team puts a therapist, a psychiatrist, and other clinicians around one plan for you, so you're not carrying information between providers yourself. At Enhance Health Group in Tustin, those clinicians compare notes on your care and adjust it as you change. Here's what that looks like day to day, and what happens when you reach out.
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How a Multidisciplinary Treatment Team Works Day to Day
Most of what a team does happens in ordinary sessions, not in a meeting you'll ever sit through. You see your therapist regularly, and the psychiatrist sees you when medication is part of the plan. Between those appointments, the clinicians share what's relevant so that something you tell one person doesn't get lost before it reaches the others.
That coordination changes small things you'd otherwise notice. If your therapist hears that you've barely slept for a week, the psychiatrist knows before your next visit and doesn't have to start from scratch. If a medication leaves you foggy, your therapist can change how they pace your sessions. You aren't repeating your history to every new person or relaying messages between offices.
Your own part is simple. Tell each clinician what's actually happening, including what isn't working, because the plan only changes when someone knows it needs to. Where a partner or relative joining a session would help, the team can talk with you about it, and you decide who's involved.
Your level of care sets how often you're in contact with the team. Partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) at our Tustin center at 14742 Newport Ave involve more treatment than standard outpatient care, and virtual outpatient is available when getting to the office is hard. Admissions can explain how each level is structured once they know your situation.
Your first assessment decides where you start. A clinician asks about your symptoms, your history, and what you want help with, and that conversation shapes which professionals join your team and which level of care fits. The starting point isn't permanent, and the team can step you up or down as you change.
Who Sits on the Team and What Each Person Handles
Your therapist is the person you'll see most, and they hold the center of your plan. They run your individual sessions, teach skills from approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and notice when something shifts from one week to the next.
The psychiatrist handles medication. If a prescription is part of your plan, they decide what to start, check how you're responding, and change it when it isn't helping. If medication isn't part of your plan, you may not see them often, and that's normal.
Depending on what you're dealing with, other clinicians can join. Someone treating addiction alongside depression or trauma will have people on the team who work on both at once, and a partner or family member can be brought in when it would help you.
Admissions staff are part of the picture too, though they aren't clinicians. They check your benefits, explain what your plan may cover, and connect you with the clinical team once you decide to go forward. Benefits vary by plan, so they'll tell you what applies to yours.
Enhance is accredited by the Joint Commission and certified by the California Department of Health Care Services (certification 300410AP), so the team you meet works within outside standards for care.
If you're unsure who to bring a question to, ask your therapist first. They can route it to the right person on the team.
How the Team Builds and Adjusts Your Plan
Your plan starts with the assessment and gets written down as specific goals, such as sleeping through the night, getting through a work week without panic, or going thirty days without drinking. Those goals come from what you tell the clinician, so say what you want even if it feels small. A plan built around your goals is easier to check than one built around general symptoms.
From there, the team watches how you're responding, and a few signs usually tell them the plan needs to change.
Symptoms that aren't easing after a fair stretch of treatment are one sign. Side effects from a medication you can't live with are another. New stress, such as a job loss or a death in the family, can change what you need, and so can progress, since you may be doing well enough for fewer hours of treatment or badly enough to need more support.
Any of these can lead to a different approach in therapy, a medication change, a family session, or a move between levels of care. For example, someone in PHP at our Tustin center who's steadier after a few weeks may step down to IOP, and someone in virtual outpatient who's slipping may move to something more frequent.
You don't have to wait for a scheduled review to ask for a change. If something isn't working, tell your therapist, who'll bring it to the psychiatrist or the rest of the team and come back to you with options. You'll have a say in which one you try.
If you need a setting beyond what our Tustin programs provide, such as inpatient mental health care, Eden by Enhance is our sister facility for that, and admissions can help you work out whether it fits.
When Mental Health and Addiction Are Treated Together
Depression, anxiety, and trauma often sit alongside alcohol or drug use, and treating only one usually leaves the other pulling you back. Dual diagnosis care puts both under one plan with one team. A therapist who understands trauma and a clinician who understands substance use work from the same goals, so you aren't running between two offices that never talk.
In practice, the assessment asks about both sides. You'll be asked what you're using and how often, and also about your mood, your sleep, and anything from your past that still weighs on you. Answer as honestly as you can, because nobody on the team is grading you and a plan built on partial answers tends to miss what's driving the rest.
Treatment then runs on both tracks at once. You might work on coping skills for panic in the same week you plan for a high-risk situation, such as a weekend when you'd normally drink. If the psychiatrist prescribes medication, they know about your substance use when they choose it, which affects what's safe for you.
Some people need to stop using under medical supervision before outpatient work makes sense. Detox and addiction residential care take place at Embrace Treatment Center, a sister facility of ours, and Enhance admissions can help you decide whether that's the right first step. Afterward, many people continue in PHP or IOP in Tustin, where mental health and addiction care stay connected.
If you're not sure whether your drinking or drug use counts as a problem, say so in your first conversation. The team would rather hear the uncertainty than have you leave it out.
What Happens When You Call Admissions
The person who picks up at (714) 862-1907 is a member of the Tustin admissions team, and the first few minutes are mostly questions about you. They'll ask what's going on and what kind of help you want. They'll also ask if you're calling for yourself or for someone you love. You don't need a diagnosis or a polished explanation. "I can't sleep and I'm drinking more than I should" is enough to begin.
A few things nearby make the call move faster.
Your insurance card lets them read the member ID and plan name. A short list of current medications helps if you take any, and so does a note about recent treatment, such as a therapist, a hospital visit, or a past program.
From there, admissions contacts your insurance company to check your benefits. They'll then explain your deductible, your copay, and which level of care your plan may cover. Benefits vary by plan, so what you hear will be about your coverage specifically. We work with plans including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Optum, United Healthcare, Blue Shield of California, MHN, Health Net, Ambetter, Multiplan, CalPERS, and Covered California.
Verifying benefits doesn't commit you to anything. If you want to continue, admissions moves you toward a clinical assessment, which sets your starting level of care. If another setting fits better, they'll tell you plainly and help you work out the next step.
If you'd rather not talk on the phone first, you can submit the insurance form online and admissions will reach out to you.
Check your insurance or call admissions
Call (714) 862-1907. The Tustin team verifies benefits and explains what your plan may cover.
Common Questions
Will I have to tell my story to every person on the team?
No, you'll tell it once during your assessment, and the clinicians share what's relevant with each other from there. A new person joining your care will already have your history in front of them. You can add details whenever you remember something, and you can ask your therapist what's been shared and with whom.
Can I ask for a different therapist if the fit isn't right?
Yes, and you don't need a dramatic reason. Therapy works best when you trust the person across from you, so tell your therapist or admissions that the fit feels off. The team can talk through what's not working and, if it makes sense, help you switch.
Is what I tell my team kept private?
Your sessions are confidential. Clinicians on your team share details with each other so your treatment stays coordinated, and family members hear about your care only when you've agreed to it. Ask your therapist if you want to understand how that works for your situation.
Does everyone have the same size team?
No, the size of your team depends on your level of care and what you need. Someone in virtual outpatient may work mainly with a therapist and a psychiatrist, while someone in PHP or IOP often has more clinicians involved. Your first assessment sets the starting point, and your team can grow or shrink as your needs change.
What if I'm not sure I need this much help?
Calling admissions to ask doesn't commit you to treatment. The assessment exists to answer that question, and the clinician will tell you plainly which level of care fits, including a lighter one than you expected. If you'd like to talk it through first, you can reach the Tustin team through the insurance form on our site.
