Experience of a Day Center for Young Psychotics

Abstract

The day center (DC) of the mental health service (MHS) of Local Health Unit 16 of the Region of Liguria was opened in March 1989, in compliance with the regional law 39/1988. Staffing the organization was rather difficult. In the two years preceding the opening of the center, an interest group was formed whose members began to meet independently or, in the last six months, with the support of a supervisor psychoanalyst. Not all the members of the initial group ultimately came to work at the center; some preferred to withdraw before its opening, and others joined later. At present the team is composed of a psychiatrist, who acts as coordinator; two psychologists; a head nurse and four regular nurses; and an educator. The psychiatrist, the psychologists, the educator, and three of the nurses work part time at the center on a quantitatively varying work schedule, the rest of their time being spent at the mental health center, where they monitor patients individually and participate in the work groups. In addition, there are psychologist trainees, on a rotating schedule, who are valuable for the liveliness and freshness of their contributions. The choice of working part time or full time at the day center was much discussed. Full time better guaranteed continuity and control of the situation, which caused some anxiety, especially at the beginning. Part time relieved the burden of being too much in contact with the seriously ill patients, who suffered profound anxieties. In our two years of work, we have noted both centrifugal and centripetal tendencies in response to these opposing needs.