Mental Health Challenges and Solutions
February 20, 2019 1:00 pm
Magnolia Behavioral Health: Providing Top-Notch Inpatient Mental Health Care
One in five American adults will experience mental illness in a given year. While some individuals can manage symptoms and treatment in connection with their primary care provider, others have symptoms that would benefit from inpatient care.
Jade Hatcher, Community Education Manager at Magnolia Behavioral Health, shares how one can access inpatient services. “Bring the patient to the emergency room. The emergency room will consult our Behavioral Health Unit, and we will do an assessment,” she says. “Then, our doctor will decide whether or not that patient needs to be admitted for inpatient treatment.”
Concerning Symptoms
“Our very first priority is to make sure the patient is safe. You don’t want them to do anything to try to harm themselves or try to harm someone else,” cautions Hatcher.
Some patients have suicidal or homicidal thoughts or express those thoughts with actions. Others may have hallucinations or psychosis. If they’re at risk of harming themselves or others, they would benefit from a trip to the emergency room.
Because patients don’t always notice their own behaviors, a friend or family member can bring them in for assessment. A doctor referral is also accepted. For patients who spot symptoms in themselves, they can head directly to the emergency room.
Adult Inpatient Care
The adult treatment program treats men and women ages 18 to 64. Every patient is educated on their specific mental health disorder and medications, so they fully understand why they’re receiving treatment.
“Our programs offer patients individualized treatment using different methods such as medication management, individual therapy, group therapy, art, and activity therapy,” notes Hatcher. Patients also learn coping skills, daily living skills, and how to deal with relationships and boundaries.
A connection between alcohol or drug use and mental health concerns often exists. Psychoses and hallucinations are common for these folks, as are suicidal and homicidal thoughts or feelings. Hatcher points out, “Drugs tend to make these individuals more suicidal or homicidal than they would be if they were sober.”
Jade Hatcher, Community Education Coordinator
Senior Behavioral Care
Magnolia Behavioral Health has a senior care unit for elderly patients who are age 65 and older. Those suffering from dementia or psychiatric illnesses can receive treatment in this unit. Dementia patients may have behavioral issues that are difficult for family members to handle in a home care setting.
“You wouldn’t want to put an 85-year-old dementia patient in a group therapy session with a 20-year-old drug addict,” clarifies Hatcher. “The milieus are just different, and they have different needs. That’s the main reason why we separate those populations of patients.”
There are some limitations on admittance. Those requiring constant tube feedings, have known communicable diseases, or are bedridden are not suitable for this unit.
“Lots of people feel like they are the only ones who are going through this and having these feelings, and that’s just not true,” assures Hatcher. “There are many people out there who are having the same experience, so it’s important to keep that in mind–you are not the only one. No one is an island. Everyone has problems and the best thing to do is to get help.”
To listen to an interview with Jade Hatcher, Community Education Manager at Magnolia Behavioral Health, follow visit www.mrhc.org/healthcast/JadeHatcher.
This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center
