Describes the Southeast-Bayview Mental Health Center Geriatric Services Unit, which provides a comprehensive mental health program for the elderly of San Francisco. The program emphasis is on crisis intervention, with reliance on home visits and follow-up services as well as screening and referral. (JAC)

One person's impressions about children in China are reported along with information obtained from informal observations and discussions with psychologists involved in teacher preparation and other Chinese psychologists and psychiatrists. Observations were made wherever possible; visits were made to both an urban and a rural kindergarten, a…

Although group psychotherapy is the preferred method of treatment for short-term hospitalized clients, empirical evidence of the efficacy of such a treatment method is lacking. To examine the major themes expressed in an inpatient group over time, as well as to evaluate the methodology for selecting and implementing group psychotherapy, a total of…

Contracting, the process of engaging one or both parents in the delivery of psychiatric services to the child, is an essential condition for successful treatment and parental collaboration around management of the emotionally disturbed child. There are three components of the treatment contract: emotional, cognitive, and practical support. Common…

Increasing evidence that decompensation into acute psychosis by schizophrenics can often be avoided with active pharmacological and psychosocial intervention at the early signs of relapse has stimulated research into the signs and symptoms prodromal to acute psychosis. In this study, 6-week periods prior to 17 psychotic relapses and to 11 relapses…

In 1977 Paul and Lentz published results of social learning therapy, also called token economy, for chronic psychiatric inpatients of state mental hospitals. The enormous success of token economy therapy both for the patients' mental health and for cost effectiveness led Paul and Lentz to conclude that this therapy was the treatment of choice for…

Presented is a detailed case study of an 8-year-old socially withdrawn girl with elective mutism. Reviewed are early developmental data, and described are the therapeutic processes involved in her treatment in a psychiatric facility, including speech therapy and individual play sessions. Theoretical considerations on the origin of her mutism are…

This document discusses the role of the psychiatrist in the military service. An historical overview of psychiatric utilization in the military is presented and criticized. A psychiatrist may be required to function in any or all of a number of roles--therapist, investigator, administrative officer, evaluator, consultant, and teacher. The…

Poetry therapy has been in use with adult psychiatric patients at Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, D.C, for 10 years. The treatment used involves reading poetry, listening to recordings, studying poets, and writing poetry. The patients' choice of poems is not restricted by the staff, but different types of poetry appeal to different types of…

Between February 7 and February 24, 2002, Utah and Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics. Due to the bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the emotional fallout that resulted, it was recommended that the Utah Psychological Association and Utah Red Cross plan for such an occurrence and organize a coordinated Disaster Mental Health…

In an increasingly cost-conscious health care environment, average length of hospital stay has decreased. Although psychiatric inpatient treatment is largely exempt from the constraints of the Medicare diagnosis related groups (DRG's), length of stay for geropsychiatric hospital services has decreased also. A trend toward higher rates of early…

This paper describes the implementation of an inpatient treatment program for Vietnam combat veterans exhibiting symptoms related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, at the North Chicago Veterans Administration Medical Center. Issues related to organizational and staff problems encountered during the program are outlined, and unique problems…

This paper reports the results of creative writing workshops in various psychiatric hospitals that have demonstrated that individuals in psychiatric settings have particular needs, affinities, and receptivities to the means of self-expression and communication available through creative writing. The purgative effect of Emily Dickinson's poetry and…

A topic of much national concern is the mental health of youth. Adolescents often enter psychiatric treatment with poor school performance, having attended numerous schools, and have very negative attitudes toward the school environment. In order to facilitate more effective psychiatric functioning, this study sought to learn more about two groups…

The 5% set-aside fund from the federal Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services block grant of 1984 provided a special emphasis on women's entry into treatment programs. Secondary analysis of admissions data from the Iowa Division of Substance Abuse Management Information System for 1984 to 1986 demonstrated that there was a change in the trend…