A Conversation with Executive Director Samantha Klinger, LCSW, CSAC on Opening Compass Brookfield—and What Immediate PHP and IOP Care Means for Wisconsin Families 

When someone is struggling with their mental health, figuring out the “right” level of care can be overwhelming. Weekly therapy often isn’t enough and hospitalization may not be necessary. Compass Health Center’s Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs bridge that gap with rapid, evidence-based care close to home. 

As Compass opens its Brookfield location, Executive Director Samantha Klinger, LCSW, CSAC, shares her path back to direct clinical work, why intermediary levels of care matter, and how Compass partners with patients, families, and the community. 

This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and flow. The speaker’s original meaning and intent have not been changed. 

Q&A 

Britt Teasdale (BT): Our Brookfield location opened on Monday—how’s everything going so far? 

Samantha Klinger (SK): 
It’s going really great. We’re already treating patients, and we’ve had patients tell us—direct quote—“you all really care.” It’s really nice to be here, treating patients and hearing such positivity to get us started. 

BT: I love hearing “you all really care.” That’s amazing. Thank you for sharing. Let’s rewind a little and start with your background. I’d love to learn a little about you. 

SK: 
My background is in social work. I’m a licensed clinical social worker and clinical substance abuse counselor. I’ve been in behavioral health for about 18 years. I started post-master’s on an inpatient psychiatric unit where I treated patients who were in detox and there for general mental health. I also worked with a geriatric population, which was really unique. 

Post inpatient, I was a clinician in PHP and IOP levels of care. I treated patients who had what we called dual diagnosis—mental health diagnoses alongside substance use disorders. After that, I moved into what was then called a lead social work role, supervising clinicians, facilitating groups, meeting with patients, and working with families. That was my first step into leadership, and I found I really enjoyed it, helping clinicians grow in their skill sets and looking at how everything in the clinic fits together to make a really great treatment experience. From there, my passion grew. 

I focused on process, making sure what people experience when they come into a clinic is positive, makes sense, and isn’t hard for clinical teams to do. I moved into quality/process improvement in a large national system for about seven years. Then I got the itch to come back to clinical care. I really missed patients and working with clinicians. PHP and IOP were where I really found myself—as a clinician and a leader—so I wanted to come back full circle. When I heard Compass was opening in Brookfield, I was excited; it fit what I was looking for personally. 

BT: That’s amazing. I’m so happy you found your way back. You mentioned you worked in inpatient for a while, and we often look at PHP and IOP as a step down from inpatient. What did you learn in inpatient that informs your work now and your transition into PHP and IOP? 

SK: 
Great question. With intermediary levels of care like PHP and IOP, it’s important to recognize that when someone goes inpatient, they’re truly stepping away from their life 100%, spending the night in a facility with people they don’t know. There’s a place for it; we need it. Some people need to be in a place where they can be safe and/or safely detox from substances. 

There are also times we can treat patients at intermediary levels where they don’t need to step away from life and go inpatient. That’s what I love most about PHP and IOP—keeping people integrated with day-to-day life while they seek treatment and work on what they need as individuals. 

BT: So important. Not enough people know about PHP and IOP. Many think higher care means ER or inpatient. You also spoke about wanting to work with patients again. What did you miss most? 

SK: 
That’s a great question. When people are ready to make the call for help, it takes so much courage. It can be intimidating and scary. 

When they find that courage and come into treatment, the vast majority of the time they discover others are experiencing similar things, so they don’t feel as alone. They find skills that help them navigate challenges. Seeing that journey—from feeling hopeless or alone to realizing “I’m not alone,” and there are tangible things I can do daily to move toward wellness—is powerful. 

Being part of that impact for an individual, and, from a leadership standpoint, hundreds of patients, is incredible. It’s an honor to be part of it. 

BT: If you’re working directly with a patient or guiding a clinician, and someone’s unsure about starting the PHP or IOP journey (at Compass or elsewhere), what do you say to help them through it? 

SK: 
You’re asking great questions! It might sound simplistic, but: give it a try. Come in and tour the space. Just see it. We can have preconceived notions about behavioral health treatment that make it feel scarier than it is. When you feel the warmth of the clinicians and the person who greets you at the front desk, and you see the spaces, the intimidation decreases. 

Also, start asking questions. Anxiety is often driven by fear—what’s the underpinning fear? Let’s talk about it. At base: come in, tour, and give it a try for a day. See how you feel after that. 

BT: What misconceptions do you typically hear before people come in and how does our space debunk them? 

SK: 
A big one is, “No one else is going to get it.” That’s where “give it a try” comes in, because on day one people typically realize they’re not alone—others are experiencing similar things. 

BT: Let’s talk about Compass’s care model from your perspective. 

SK: 
I love the model. It’s part of why I chose Compass. It’s dynamic and brings together an interdisciplinary team to wrap around the individual: a prescriber (psychiatrist or APNP), a primary therapist for one-on-one work, a family therapist with dedicated family expertise, an education specialist for teen patients, and group therapists (all master’s-level clinicians). 

Day to day, patients primarily engage in group-based therapy designed to build skills and offer specialized programming. I think of it like college: everyone gets certain core classes we all need for wellness, and then there’s a “major”—the primary focus, like trauma or OCD—where you get specialized groups for those symptoms. We have skills-based groups; art/experiential therapy; for teens, academic skills Integration, where a clinician partners with the school so we can address anxiety or distress that comes up while in classes; and mindfulness groups. 

These run in rotation across rooms during the day, tailored to individual needs. As groups run, primary therapists pull patients for individual sessions—very skills-based—tying together what they’re experiencing at home, school, work, and socially, and learning in group, creating goals, and checking in. Family therapists may pull from group or schedule just before/after. Our psychiatry team meets patients 2–3x/week in PHP and 1–2x/week in IOP to check on medications and whether adjustments might help. They are also available for support, as needed, and on call for emergencies 24/7. 

We’re also passionate about being strong community partners. If a patient has a community prescriber or therapist, our primary therapists and providers call to coordinate care so everyone is synced on what’s best for that individual. 

BT: We know this model works and have data to support it. How do we know it’s effective? 

SK: 
Outcome measures. Patients complete measures at the beginning and end of treatment so we can see, with data, changes in symptoms. We know our program works, which is exciting. Many of us are data nerds and love being able to say, very tangibly, “You came in with a GAD score of X and you’re leaving with Y.” As changes occur, patients don’t always feel how big they are; data helps us show and celebrate that success. 

We also know because patients tell us—they feel more hopeful, less anxious; they can get out of bed and go places; they’re more engaged with family. It’s both data and lived experience. 

Why it works: we have a team of talented, caring individuals, and evidence-based treatments—CBT, DBT, ACT, and ERP—treatments we know are effective. 

BT: Are you part of the Brookfield community—do you live nearby? 

SK: 
I live nearby, about seven minutes from the clinic. Very close. 

BT: What are you most excited about with Compass opening in Brookfield and serving the surrounding communities with in-person and virtual care? Why is it important? 

SK: 
Looking at the data in Wisconsin and nationally, we’re in a mental health crisis that hasn’t eased. Incidents of suicide have risen 30% over the last 20 years, which is terrifying. People are experiencing unprecedented rates of depression and anxiety. Bringing treatment that targets these needs helps our families, friends, communities, and schools. Being another resource in an area of need is critically important. 

BT: As a long-time professional in the field, what signs should people look for in loved ones or children that might signal an intermediate level of care is right? 

SK: 
Watch for stepping away from life or difficulty engaging: trouble getting out of bed, difficulty going to work or school; an adolescent who’s in school but asking to come home due to anxiety; marked isolation from friends or family. PHP and IOP is about recognizing when someone is stepping out of life and helping them step back into life because what they’re experiencing has gotten so big they’re avoiding it, or avoiding life in general. 

BT: Do people have to try weekly therapy or one-off psychiatry visits before coming to Compass? 

SK: 
No, not at all. If you’re seeing these signs in yourself or a loved one, call us. We’ll ask questions to understand your situation and make a recommendation. Sometimes that’s, “You could do this in weekly outpatient therapy.” However, if you’re calling at that point, it may be a good idea to get into PHP to help prevent things from getting worse. 

BT: Because Compass is a community resource, what do we do when Compass is not the best fit for a person? 

SK: 
If that’s the case, we’ll give referrals and help them find the right place for the level of care they need. 

BT: Two final questions. Looking ahead, what do you hope to build within Compass Brookfield culture and community? 

SK: 
We’ve already started. Our team trained together for many weeks ahead of opening. Culture starts with values. Compass has an amazing set of core values, and primary is bringing compassionate, data-driven, evidence-based care every day. We huddle daily to talk about how our patients are doing and how they experience our care—keeping that at the forefront. 

Second: care for each other as we care for patients. This work is rewarding and hard. As we hear difficult stories and pour into patients, we have to pour into each other so we can keep pouring into patients. Sometimes that’s being an ear; sometimes, “Let me take this—go for a walk, take a little you-time.” Each day, we come together to make sure we’re taking care of each other. 

BT: What was the feeling on site on opening day? 

SK: 
A lot of clapping, laughing, smiling. Everyone is incredibly excited to be here. Truly celebration mode. 

BT: Final question. Is there anything I missed that you want to speak to—about yourself, Compass, or seeking this level of care? 

SK: 
I feel like we should have a tagline: When in doubt, just call. Healthcare is difficult to navigate. We can help you navigate it. Don’t feel alone—we’re a resource. That’s the biggest thing I’d want to leave people with. 

BT: Such an important point—just call; it will help. Thank you so much for taking time to speak with me. It was great getting to know you more and hearing what you have in store for Brookfield. 

SK: 
Thank you, Britt. 

——— 

Bios 

Samantha Klinger, LCSW, CSAC, is a licensed clinical social worker and certified substance abuse counselor with extensive experience in mental health, addiction recovery, and trauma-informed care. She has worked across outpatient, residential, and inpatient settings, providing individual, group, and family therapy while also leading programs and mentoring clinicians. Passionate about reducing stigma and expanding access to care, Samantha combines strong clinical skills with compassionate leadership to support lasting change for individuals and communities. 

Britt Teasdale is a writer, photographer, and creative strategist. As Associate Director of Brand Management & Content at Compass Health Center, she has spent nearly a decade shaping narratives that translate complex clinical ideas into stories that resonate, reduce stigma, and help families access care. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing and began her career in journalism. She is also co-host of Compass’s forthcoming podcast, You Only Know What You Know.