subject: Mental Health Care Homes [print this page] Mental Health Care Homes Mental Health Care Homes
A person with serious mental health problems can be a threat to themselves and a burden to their family. Sometimes such an individual will have to be placed in a special facility called a mental health care home.
Mental health care homes are different from the mental hospitals operated by state and other governments in some parts of the United States. These state facilities traditionally existed to care for the poor, criminals and persons the courts deemed a threat to other people. There are very few of these facilities left because of changes to the law which make it illegal to hospitalize all but the most seriously ill people.
There are also many private mental health care homes which specialize in treating those with mental problems. These are private facilities staffed by professionals who specialize in the treatment of mental problems.
Many of these facilities will specialize in the treatment of one type of mental problem such as addiction or depression. Some of these facilities will specialize in treating certain kinds of individuals such as teenagers or the elderly.
One thing to keep in mind is that in the United States you will need a court order to commit an adult to such a facility against their will. Such court orders are hard to get unless the individuals has proven themselves a danger to others or unable to care for themselves.
You probably need to get a lawyer to get such a court order. The requirements for such commitments vary from area to area and the law is constantly changing so you will probably need an attorney.
In most cases the person requiring treatment will have to agree to go to the mental care home. If an adult does not want to go to such a facility you will probably not be able to get them there.
Before sending a person to such a facility you should make sure the facility is properly licensed. You should also make sure that there are licensed and qualified psychologists and psychiatrists who are experienced with the patient's mental condition on staff.
You should also make sure that the facility has a good track record of dealing with the problem. A good way to do this is to check with support groups for people with that problem and their families. These organizations can tell you which mental health care homes are capable of helping your loved one and which aren't.
