Sol’s Work Stress Reduction Program is daytime outpatient treatment for women in Riverside whose anxiety, depression, or substance use has worsened alongside what work has been doing to them. It is women only in the room, it is in person, and the day ends early enough to have a life around it. The Partial Hospitalization Program, a mental health level of care, runs Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. The Intensive Outpatient Program is three days a week, the three days you pick, starting at either 9:00 AM or 10:30 AM. When drinking or substance use is the main concern, care runs through IOP and High-Intensity IOP.
Many women want to know about the paperwork first, so we explain it clearly further down this page. Two people handle it. Meagan Love, PA-C signs off the FMLA medical certification an employer asks for, which is the document that supports an FMLA or CFRA request. Lauren Sardia, Sol’s case manager, works with you on the rest of that paperwork, and on the job search if the answer you reach is that you are not going back.
Key Takeaways
- Who it is for: women whose anxiety, depression or substance use has grown alongside work, not women looking for career coaching.
- What it is: a women-only daytime outpatient program in Riverside, in person, at PHP or IOP level.
- How it works: the paperwork is handled here. Meagan Love, PA-C signs off the FMLA medical certification your employer needs, and Lauren Sardia, Sol’s case manager, completes the rest of the FMLA or short-term disability paperwork with you and works with you on job searching and interviews.
- What it is not: a guarantee about your job. No treatment program can promise that, and this page gently explains why.
Show all 4 takeaways
Is This Burnout, or Is Something Wrong with Me?
Many women ask this, so here is a gentle, clear answer.
Burnout is not a diagnosis. The World Health Organization includes burn-out in the ICD-11 as “an occupational phenomenon” and states plainly: “It is not classified as a medical condition.” WHO describes it as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”, with three dimensions: “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”
WHO also keeps the word for work, noting that it “should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.” If you feel worn down by motherhood, caregiving or a marriage, that exhaustion is real and it matters. It simply goes by a different name, and it deserves care all the same.
What this means for you is practical. If what you are feeling is burnout in WHO’s sense, much of the answer may lie with the job itself. If an anxiety disorder, depression or a drinking pattern that no longer feels like a choice is sitting underneath it, those are conditions that can be treated, and changing employers alone may not ease them.
Many women who come to us are carrying both. The work situation is real, and so is what it has brought to the surface.
Because burnout is not a medical diagnosis, our care focuses on what can be diagnosed and treated alongside it, such as anxiety, depression or substance use, while honoring how much the work itself has taken from you.
What Sol Actually Treats
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the federal agency for this, defines job stress as “the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of a job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker”, and states that it “can lead to poor health and even injury.” NIOSH reports that work-related psychosocial hazards “have been shown to cause physical injuries, burnout, cardiovascular disease, depression, high blood pressure, sleep disturbance, and suicidal ideation.”
What Sol treats is the diagnosable end of that:
- Anxiety disorders, including the kind that arrives as a racing heart before a Monday.
- Depression, including the flattened, cannot-start-anything version that looks like laziness from outside.
- Alcohol use that started as a way to stop thinking about work at nine in the evening.
- Post-traumatic stress, where the workplace itself was the source.
The clinical work is cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy skills groups, group therapy and, where trauma is involved, EMDR. The yoga, breathing practice and sound sessions run across the week too, and that page is honest about what the evidence for them does and does not show.
How Leave Works While You Are in Treatment
You are being asked to attend a program in the middle of a working day. PHP runs Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. IOP is three days a week, the three you pick, starting at 9:00 AM or 10:30 AM. Either way it is in person, because Sol has no telehealth option. Fitting that around a job takes some planning, and we will help you work it out step by step.
Here is what is available, what Sol can do, and what no one can promise.
What Sol can do, and it is two people rather than one. Meagan Love, PA-C signs off FMLA medical certifications at Sol, which is the document an employer may request. The Department of Labor describes health care providers as “an important link in helping employees obtain the information their employers may need to provide the job protections afforded by the FMLA.” The certification states medical facts and how long leave is likely to be needed. It “does not need to provide the patient’s diagnosis but does need to state appropriate medical facts.”
And Lauren Sardia, Sol’s case manager, completes the rest of the paperwork with you, for FMLA or for short-term disability. Here is the part few people mention: the certification is one page that a medical provider signs, and around it sits a form from your employer, a form from the state, dates, employment history and a set of questions worded for somebody who is not currently exhausted. You do not fill those in alone at your kitchen table. You sit down with Lauren, in the building, at a set time in your week.
What Sol cannot do, and the part women ask about in the first phone call. Sol cannot grant you leave, approve it or guarantee it. And Sol will not contact your employer, or confirm to anyone that you are in treatment here, without a Release of Information that you sign. Not a manager, not an HR department, not a colleague who calls asking after you. If you want the certification sent directly, you sign a release and we send only what the form requires. The Department of Labor is clear that “the employee is responsible for providing a complete and sufficient certification, including paying for the cost of the certification and making sure the certification is provided to the employer on time”, within 15 calendar days of the employer’s request. You request. Your employer decides. We supply the medical facts.
And one more thing worth knowing. Taking leave for treatment does not, by itself, mean your job is waiting. Federal regulation on substance abuse and FMLA states that “treatment for substance abuse does not prevent an employer from taking employment action against an employee”, and that an employer with an established, communicated, non-discriminatorily applied substance abuse policy may terminate under that policy “whether or not the employee is presently taking FMLA leave”. What an employer may not do is act against you because you took FMLA leave.
We would rather you knew that before you started than found it out afterwards.
Something helpful to know. FMLA leave does not have to be taken in a single block. The Department of Labor states it can be taken “all at once, or, when medically necessary, in separate blocks of time or by reducing the time they work each day or week.” A reduced schedule is exactly the shape of a daytime outpatient program, and it can be the arrangement that makes this workable.
The Four Things People Often Mix Up
| What it is | What it gives you | Job protection? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FMLA (federal) | “Job-protected, unpaid leave” for a serious health condition, which includes mental health conditions and, with conditions, substance use treatment. | “Up to 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period”. Unpaid, though it “may be unpaid or used at the same time as employer provided paid leave.” | Eligibility requires 12 months with a covered employer, 1,250 hours in the last 12 months, and at least 50 employees within 75 miles of your worksite. |
| CFRA (California) | Job-protected family and medical leave under the California Family Rights Act, which applies to employers with 5 or more employees and includes leave for your own serious health condition. | Up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave in a 12-month period. Unpaid, though it may be used alongside paid leave or wage replacement you qualify for. | Eligibility generally requires more than 12 months with the employer and at least 1,250 hours worked in the past 12 months. |
| California State Disability Insurance (SDI) | State wage replacement when you cannot work because of “illness or injury (either physical or mental)”, which can include a mental health condition. Eligibility is EDD’s decision. | Partial wage replacement. Not your full pay. | |
| ADA reasonable accommodation (federal) | A change to how work is normally done, requested because of a condition. EEOC gives as an example “scheduling work around therapy appointments”. | A change to your schedule or arrangements, not leave as such. | It is a right to request. Your employer must provide one “unless the accommodation involves significant difficulty or expense.” |
A helpful clarification, since the two are easy to mix up. California Paid Family Leave is for “bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, or supporting a family member’s military deployment”. For your own condition, the program is Disability Insurance, so choosing the right one first can save you time.
Official sources, so you are not taking our word for it:
California DI
ADA and mental health
Going Back, or Not
Some women come through this and return to the same role. Some return to the same employer in a different one. Some decide during treatment that the job was the problem and they are not going back to it.
All three are okay, and the choice is always yours. We are here to help you feel steadier, so that whatever you decide comes from a calmer place.
What Happens to the Rest of Your Life
Treatment does not put anything else on hold. The semester keeps running, the forms keep their deadlines, and work questions stay open. Worries like these can make it hard to stay in a program, so at Sol a named person helps you carry them.
Lauren Sardia is Sol’s case manager. She runs groups several times a week, so she is a regular presence in the program rather than an office you get sent to, and she also meets women one to one about whatever is most pressing at that moment.
What she works on, in Sol’s own account:
School
Applying to school, and completing the requirements of a program already underway.
Assistance programs
Working out which ones apply to you and signing up for them.
Medical paperwork
Completing the forms for FMLA or short-term disability with you. The medical certification itself is signed by Meagan Love, PA-C. Lauren does the rest of it.
Work
Looking for jobs, applying for them, and preparing for interviews.
Time and money
Managing a schedule and managing a budget.
Longer-term goals
Mapping out where this is going once the program ends, which is a different conversation from the one about this week.
What this is not. Sol is not a placement agency and does not place anyone in a job. Lauren does not apply on your behalf or speak to employers for you. What she does is sit down with you on the search itself, at a set time each week, so the search has steady support behind it.
And it stays private unless you say otherwise. Sol will not contact your employer, or confirm to anyone that you are in treatment here, without a Release of Information that you sign. That applies to the paperwork as much as to the phone. If you want the certification sent directly, you sign a release and Sol sends only what the form requires.
You can read what else Lauren handles on her page.
Levels of Care
Your assessment sets the level of care, and the hours follow from that. If a reduced schedule is what your situation allows, say so at the assessment, because it affects which level is recommended.
PHPPartial hospitalization
Roughly who it suits
The most structured daytime option, for when symptoms are at their heaviest.
Read more
IOPIntensive outpatient
Roughly who it suits
Fewer hours, more room for work and family, still substantial clinical contact.
Read more
OPOutpatient
Medication management is part of your care at every level.
How to Get Started
1
Call (951) 972-5085
Call (951) 972-5085 or verify your insurance, and our admissions team responds within 24 hours.
2
A Clinical Call, About 30 Minutes
What has been happening, how long, what it is affecting, and what your work situation allows.
3
A Level of Care and a Start Date
, plus a conversation about certification paperwork if you need it. Starts can often be as soon as the next day.
4
If Cost Is the Problem
If cost is the problem, say so on that first call. Scholarship support exists and it is worth asking about before you decide you cannot afford this.
Admissions answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We Can Help With the Paperwork. Start With a Conversation.
Talk to someone at Sol about what work has been like and what your schedule can hold. Women only, outpatient, in Riverside.
4175 Brockton Avenue, Riverside, CA 92501
Frequently Asked Questions
Our admissions line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (951) 972-5085.
Can Sol Help Me Get FMLA Leave?
Yes, in the specific way that matters. Meagan Love, PA-C signs off FMLA medical certifications at Sol, and that certification is the document that supports your request. Sol cannot grant, approve or guarantee leave, and will not contact your employer or confirm that you are in treatment here without a Release of Information that you sign. You make the request, your employer decides, and under Department of Labor rules you are responsible for getting a complete certification to your employer within 15 calendar days of them asking for it.
Will My Job Be Protected If I Take Leave for Treatment?
Not automatically, and it helps to know that before you start. FMLA, and in California the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), provide job-protected leave only if you are eligible, which depends on your employer’s size, how long you have worked there and how many hours. Federal regulation also states that treatment for substance abuse “does not prevent an employer from taking employment action against an employee” where the employer has an established, communicated policy applied non-discriminatorily. What an employer may not do is act against you because you took FMLA leave. Your HR department, the Department of Labor and the California Civil Rights Department are the places to confirm your own situation.
Do I Have to Take Twelve Weeks Off in One Block?
No. The Department of Labor states FMLA leave can be taken “all at once, or, when medically necessary, in separate blocks of time or by reducing the time they work each day or week.” A reduced schedule is often what makes a daytime program workable. The phrase “when medically necessary” matters: it is a clinical determination, not a preference.
Is Paid Family Leave the One I Claim in California?
No, and it is an easy one to mix up. Paid Family Leave is for bonding with a new child or caring for someone else. For your own condition, the California program is State Disability Insurance, which covers illness or injury “either physical or mental”; eligibility is EDD’s decision. Neither program protects your job: EDD states that plainly for both.
Do I Have Burnout?
It is possible, and what you are feeling is real. Burnout is not a diagnosis: the World Health Organization classifies burn-out as “an occupational phenomenon” and notes that “it is not classified as a medical condition.” What can be diagnosed and treated is what often sits underneath it, such as an anxiety disorder, depression or a drinking pattern. An assessment is a gentle way to find out what applies to you.
Does My Employer Have to Know What I Am Being Treated For?
The Department of Labor states that an FMLA certification “does not need to provide the patient’s diagnosis but does need to state appropriate medical facts.” Sol provides only what the form requires.
Will Sol Tell My Employer I Am in Treatment?
No, not without a Release of Information that you sign. Sol will not contact your employer and will not confirm to anyone that you are a client here without your signed authorization. If you want the FMLA certification sent directly, you sign a release and Sol sends only what the form requires, which under Department of Labor rules “does not need to provide the patient’s diagnosis but does need to state appropriate medical facts.”
Can I Do This Remotely, Around Work?
No. Everything at Sol is in person, at 4175 Brockton Avenue in Riverside. There is no telehealth or online option, so the schedule has to work in real life: PHP from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM, or IOP three days a week, the three you pick, starting at 9:00 AM or 10:30 AM. The day ends when the program ends and you go.
Does Sol Help with Looking for Work?
Yes, through case management. Lauren Sardia works with women on looking for jobs, applying for them and preparing for interviews, in individual sessions inside the program week. Sol is not a placement agency and does not place anyone in a job or speak to employers on your behalf. What you get is a set time each week with a person who works on the search with you.
Who Fills in My FMLA or Disability Paperwork?
Two people, doing two different things. Meagan Love, PA-C signs the medical certification, which is the part only a medical provider can complete and which “does not need to provide the patient’s diagnosis but does need to state appropriate medical facts.” Lauren Sardia, Sol’s case manager, completes the rest of the FMLA or short-term disability paperwork with you. You are still the one who submits it and your employer is still the one who decides.
What Else Does Case Management Cover?
Applying to school and completing school requirements, signing up for assistance programs, FMLA and short-term disability paperwork, job searching and interview preparation, managing time and a budget, and mapping out longer-term goals. It runs as individual sessions with Lauren Sardia alongside the groups she facilitates several times a week.
Does Sol Accept My Insurance?
Sol accepts most major insurance plans. Every plan is different, so the quickest way to know is to verify your insurance. Sol can often work with HMO policies through a single case agreement. Sol does not accept Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Medicare, Molina, IEHP, Kaiser, TRICARE or TriWest. Verify your insurance or call (951) 972-5085, and our admissions team responds within 24 hours.
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Medical Disclaimer
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for a clinical assessment, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified professional. Sol Women’s Treatment is a licensed outpatient program, not inpatient or residential care. Individual results vary and no specific outcomes are guaranteed. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
The information on this page about FMLA, the California Family Rights Act, California State Disability Insurance and the Americans with Disabilities Act is general information, not legal advice. Whether any of it applies to you depends on your employer, your employment history and your circumstances. Sol Women’s Treatment cannot assess your eligibility, grant leave or act as your representative with your employer. Talk to your employer’s human resources department, and see the Department of Labor, California Civil Rights Department, EDD and EEOC pages linked above.
Sources11
- 1.World Health Organization, Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases
- 2.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Stress and Work. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/stress/about/index.html
- 3.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, An Urgent Call to Address Work-related Psychosocial Hazards and Improve Worker Well-being. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/bulletin/2024/workplace-psychosocial-hazards.html
- 4.US Department of Labor, Mental Health and the FMLA. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/mental-health
- 5.US Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #28: The Family and Medical Leave Act. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/28-fmla
- 6.US Department of Labor, Information for Health Care Providers to Complete a Certification under the FMLA. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/certification-of-a-serious-health-condition
- 7.29 CFR 825.119, Leave for treatment of substance abuse. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-V/subchapter-C/part-825/subpart-B/section-825.119
- 8.California Employment Development Department, About Disability Insurance. https://edd.ca.gov/en/disability/About_DI
- 9.California Employment Development Department, Paid Family Leave. https://edd.ca.gov/en/disability/paid-family-leave/
- 10.California Civil Rights Department, Family, Medical and Pregnancy Leave. https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/family-medical-pregnancy-leave/
- 11.US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/depression-ptsd-other-mental-health-conditions-workplace-your-legal-rights