Building Compass Health Center in Minnesota: What Expanding Access to PHP and IOP Care Means for the Community
When someone is struggling with their mental health, the next step isn’t always clear. Weekly therapy may not be enough, but hospitalization can feel like too much. Compass Health Center’s Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) programs fill that in-between space, offering timely, evidence-based care that meets patients where they are.
As Compass opens its Golden Valley location, Deanna Kolas, LPCC, will serve as Director of Clinical Services. With years of experience in trauma treatment, complex diagnoses, clinical leadership, and program development, she is focused on making sure individuals and families in Minnesota can access the care they need, without long waits and without losing connection to daily life.
In this interview with Britt Teasdale, Compass’s Associate Director of Brand and Content, Deanna reflects on her path to Compass, her vision for the new site, and why immediate access to PHP and IOP care matters for patients, families, and the wider 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): Deanna, it’s so nice to sit here and talk with you today about our Minnesota opening. I’d love to hear about your background and what brought you to Compass.
Deanna Kolas (DK):
Absolutely. I’m a licensed professional clinical counselor. I’ve worked in a lot of different levels of care throughout my career—a little bit of inpatient, residential, and outpatient—but the majority of my career has been in the PHP and IOP world. I really love this level of care. I love building relationships with patients and seeing them make a lot of progress over a short amount of time. So I was very excited when I heard about the opportunity to join Compass, the opportunity to work in this level of care that I feel really passionate about, and then also to help build a new clinic and a new culture.
As I learned more about Compass, I saw how it’s such a values-driven organization, how they use evidence-based care, and how smooth and efficient the model is. That continued to get me more and more excited to bring that clinic and that model to the Minnesota area.
BT: Tell me about you as a clinician and as an individual. I saw that prior to Compass, you worked with an organization that worked with runaways. How did your earlier experiences guide you into PHP and IOP work?
DK:
When I was younger, I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I’d end up in the counseling field. I had done some work with low-income populations at food shelves and some crisis centers. That was what drove me into this field—wanting to help underserved folks. At a crisis call center, I worked with runaway and homeless youth, providing resources. That’s what got me started.
As I learned more, I fell in love with deeper clinical work. As important as crisis work is, I missed those deeper relationships with patients. PHP and IOP became that perfect balance. In my first job out of grad school, I realized it allowed me to build relationships while still helping patients through what was often the most difficult time of their lives. Many were struggling more than ever before, feeling hopeless, and I could meet them there, help them through it, and see their progress. It was powerful.
I was especially drawn to working with adults with PTSD and trauma. I became certified in prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy (CPT), two of the most evidence-based treatments for PTSD. CPT is one of the main modalities we use at Compass for trauma. I really fell in love with that work and was so excited to keep using those skills and working with those populations here.
BT: What really drew you to Compass’s clinical approach and care model?
DK:
One of the main pieces was Compass’s values. From my first interview, it was clear patients come first. That can be hard to uphold with all the barriers in healthcare, but Compass prioritizes high-quality clinical care. Access to care is also a core value. The founders created Compass because they saw the need for patients to get into PHP and IOP quickly.
On the clinical side, modalities like CPT for trauma and ERP for OCD are areas I’ve worked in before. I’ve seen the research showing they work, and I’ve seen firsthand with my patients and therapists I’ve supervised. The efficacy is clear. I was excited to work in those modalities and help train new therapists as well.
I also love the flexibility of the rotational model. Patients join general mood and anxiety groups, and then can also get pulled for a trauma group, OCD group, substance use, chronic pain, or LGBTQ+ groups. It creates robust programming tailored to patients’ needs. For patients in PHP/IOP, we need comprehensive care that addresses multiple areas of functioning.
BT: What are you seeing in Minnesota that shows how needed this is?
DK:
I’ve heard from outpatient therapists about the need to get patients into PHP or IOP quickly, without waitlists. Some outpatient clinicians may not have specialized training in OCD or trauma interventions. When symptoms exceed what outpatient therapy can address, a higher level of care—like Compass’s PHP and IOP programs—can effectively meet those needs. Being able to provide specialized treatments fills a real gap. These treatments are nuanced, and Compass can help patients build the skills they need and then carry them back into outpatient care and succeed in daily life.
BT: What barriers to care are you seeing in Golden Valley and across Minnesota that Compass can break down?
DK:
Specialized and comprehensive care is a huge one. What makes Compass unique is speed to care, access to evidence-based treatments like ERP, CPT, CBT, DBT, ACT, and the fact that patients don’t just get groups. They meet with a primary therapist twice a week, a psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse practitioner weekly, and a family therapist weekly. Family therapy is required for under-18 patients and strongly encouraged for adults.
They also have group therapists, a patient advocate to help with insurance and billing, and, for under-18 patients, an education specialist to coordinate with schools. The Compass model ensures nothing is missed. We think of needs patients may not even realize they have and make sure they’re supported from every angle.
BT: How do we know the Compass care model works?
DK:
There’s a lot of research, both at Compass and outside. ERP for OCD and CPT for trauma are well-researched, evidence-based approaches proven effective. Compass also uses measurement-based care. Patients complete assessments at admission, throughout treatment, and at discharge to measure depression, anxiety, trauma, OCD symptoms.
We analyze that data to see if patients are making meaningful progress. Are scores going down? Are anxiety and depression decreasing in ways that matter? The research shows our patients do get better at Compass.
BT: What does “meaningful change” look like for a patient? For example, someone with debilitating anxiety?
DK:
In PHP, the focus is on getting patients back to functioning. Someone with debilitating anxiety might be unable to go to school or work, or may be socially isolated. Adults might struggle to care for themselves at home. We help them build skills to manage symptoms so they can reengage—return to school, work, social lives.
Treatment is targeted to their goals. Patients identify what’s most important, and we develop strategies with them. Groups build skills, and the primary therapist, family therapist, and psychiatrist/psychiatric nurse practitioner help patients apply those skills to real life.
BT: It sounds both effective and very personalized. Could you expand on how the model is individualized at Compass?
DK:
Even within group therapy, personalization happens. Worksheets and reflection questions help patients apply skills to their own lives. Patients often find group validation, realizing they’re not alone, and that they can support and learn from each other.
Individual sessions dig deeper. Patients identify specific goals, skills that resonate, and challenges they’re facing that week. Psychiatrists/psychiatric nurse practitioners adjust medications to their needs. Family therapists work with loved ones to support the patient in concrete, helpful ways. It’s individualized across the board.
BT: Another big part of the model is coordination with outpatient providers and schools. Could you speak to that?
DK:
Outpatient therapists and schools often get frustrated when there’s no communication during PHP and IOP. At Compass, we collaborate from the start. We call outpatient therapists at intake, provide updates, and coordinate at discharge to ensure smooth transitions. If patients don’t already have outpatient care, we provide referrals right away.
For under-18 patients, our education specialist is the point of contact with schools. They gather homework, coordinate accommodations, and organize return-to-school meetings with parents, therapists, and school staff. That ensures continuity and helps patients succeed after discharge.
BT: Are you local to Golden Valley?
DK:
Yes, I live nearby in the Twin Cities area. I went to college here and grew up about an hour and a half away. I’ve been back in the western metro for about six years. It’s exciting to bring this clinic to the community I’m part of.
BT: What are you most excited about building in Golden Valley with the clinical team?
DK:
Two things. First, the clinical side—developing therapists and associate directors, giving feedback, and supporting them as they learn nuanced treatments like ERP and CPT. Compass provides robust training, and I’m excited to ensure our team feels confident and effective.
Second, building a healthy culture. Our leadership team is committed to creating a collaborative, humble, supportive environment that prioritizes patient care and also cares about each other authentically. If staff feel connected and fulfilled, that trickles down to patients.
BT: What do you hope families and individuals feel when they walk into Compass Golden Valley?
DK:
I hope they feel cared for, encouraged, supported, and reassured. This can be such a scary and challenging time for patients and families. I want them to feel heard and to see real, concrete progress during their time with us.
BT: What would you say to someone unsure if PHP or IOP is right for them?
DK:
I’d say give us a call. We’ll ask questions, learn about you, and guide you toward the right level of care. If it’s an emergency, of course call 911 or go to the ER. But if you feel safe in the moment, we’ll help you decide. It never hurts to call.
BT: Thank you so much for taking the time to share more about yourself, your leadership, and what Compass will bring to Golden Valley. We’re so excited.
DK:
Thank you. I’m excited too.
Bios
Deanna Kolas, LPCC is a therapist committed to providing compassionate and evidence-based care for her clients. Deanna is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and a Minnesota Board Approved supervisor. She has worked in inpatient, residential, and outpatient services, and the majority of her career has been working in PHP/IOP level of care. Deanna is now serving as the Director of Clinical Services for Compass Health Center. In addition to the above, Deanna is certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure Therapy which are both evidenced-based approaches for treating PTSD. She is trained and has experience with CBT, DBT, ACT, Written Exposure Therapy for trauma and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD.
Britt Teasdale is a writer, photographer, and creative strategist. As Associate Director of Brand and 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 a degree in Broadcast and Investigative Journalism, MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing, and began her career as a reporter. She is also co-host of Compass’s forthcoming podcast, You Only Know What You Know.
