Hospitalization

When a patient is experiencing mental illness symptoms that require 24-hour per day supervision, the patient may need to be hospitalized. Treatment may include medication, individual therapy, family counseling, group therapy, recreational therapy, intensive outpatient treatment, and post-hospitalization treatment planning. Although patients are treated at the hospital, Southwestern physicians and staff are part of the treatment team.

The purpose of hospitalization is to provide acute services to the individuals in need of psychiatric stabilization and care. Hospitalization is intended to be utilized when all other service areas can no longer maintain the person outside of the hospital in a safe, humane condition.

Hospitalization is provided to adults who are suffering from a mental illness and who are either gravely disabled or dangerous to themselves or others as a result of this illness. Patients admitted to the hospital typically have a diagnosis of a major mental illness or other psychotic disorder, a substance abuse disorder, a serious mood disorder, or a severe personality disorder. Individuals who are hospitalized are provided a safe environment for crisis stabilization and evaluation; and short-term, intensive treatment to assist the individual through an acute phase of illness.

Linking patients to Southwestern programs and community resources allow patients to discharge from the hospital as early as possible. If discharge back into the community is not appropriate for a patient, arrangements will be made to transfer a patient to a longer-term facility.