Receiving and Intensive Treatment Facility Almost a Complete Mental Hospital

Abstract

If one could carefully examine and understand fully the purposes1 and programs of the Receiving and Intensive Treatment Facility in the modem mental hospital, he would have grasped the real essence of modern mental hospital treatment philosophies. For this service, more than any other one, reflects the changing attitude and treatment of newous and mental patients. It, together with convalescing cottages which are considered as a part of it, is almost a complete mental hospital in itself. It is to this building that all new patients come for their initial diagnosis, and, in the majority of cases, will remain for treatment until fit for discharge. “Psychiatric hospital care and treatnient begins with admission procedures,” writes Dr. Riley H. Guthrie. “All the patient’s experiences, which are associated with commitment, detention, transportation and admission have an effect upon him-either good or bad. Mental patients are often more sensitive to environmental influences than a healthy person. Events and persons surrounding the admission of patients are important environmental influences.” Other patient buildings are simple by comparison. Each of these-excepting those designed for the physically ill bed patients, in the medical-surgical unit, the chronically ill unit and the tuberculosis unit-are designed for small groups of individuals of a particular classification. These classifications will be determined, for design purposes, by such characteristics as behavior, age, illness, etc., each of which may require special treatment techniques. The design of units for the medical and surgical, the chronic physically ill and the tubercular patient differs widely from the design of other patient buildings, as in these buildings the bed is the place of treatment. In all other patient buildings the medical treatment program must be supported by a wide variety of occupations, recreations, exercises and other constructive activities in accordance with the requirements of the individual and the group. Buildings for these patients, will require a large percentage of their area for these activities rather than for bedroom or dormitory areas.*