Home treatment for acute mental disorders : an alternative to hospitalization / David S. Heath.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Heath, David S.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mobile emergency mental health services.

Crisis intervention (Mental health services).

Home-based mental health services.

Mentally ill--Home care.

Mentally ill.

Home Care Services.

Mental Disorders--therapy.

Crisis Intervention--methods.

Mobile Health Units.

Medical Subjects:

Home Care Services.

Mental Disorders--therapy.

Crisis Intervention--methods.

Mobile Health Units.

Physical Description:

xxxii, 293 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Routledge, 2005.

Summary:

Community-based treatment of acute mental disorders is a topic of growing interest among mental health providers for several reasons. With the advent of managed care, hospital cutbacks, and increasingly limited health insurance coverage, psychiatric patients are often denied adequate in-patient treatment. In addition, patients, families, advocacy groups, and legislators are demanding less restrictive care. An effective, out-of-hospital alternative is clearly needed. But which alternative should be promoted, and how should it be implemented?

David Heath has answered the call with this insightful, extensively researched, clearly presented case for short-term, intensive treatment in the patient's home, termed Mobile Crisis Home Treatment (MCHT). Drawing from the conclusions of several independent research studies, this book argues that MCHT has recently emerged as the most versatile and effective alternative to hospital admission. Already established in Australia, MCHT is rapidly gaining support in the USA, Canada, and Britain.

This book reviews the comparative research studies supporting this community treatment model, and discusses how it compares to other hospital alternatives. Numerous case examples illustrate its application to a wide range of specific acute mental disorders. Adopting a broad international perspective, and using firsthand experience from site visits to services in the USA, Canada, England, and Italy, the author explains how MCHT fits into mental health systems, while providing detailed steps to set up and operate a MCHT service.

Contents:

Review of research on mobile crisis home treatment

Why mobile crisis home treatment? How does it fit with mental health systems?

Descriptions of seven mobile crisis home treatment teams

Key elements and principles of mobile crisis home treatment

How to set up and operate a mobile crisis home treatment service

Daily program operation

Mobile crisis home treatment of specific mental disorders: part I

Mobile crisis home treatment of specific mental disorders: part II.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 277-286) and index.

ISBN:

0415934087

OCLC:

54817562