While most people experiencing mental health symptoms do not require psychiatric hospitalization, it is available when an individual needs to be closely monitored and accurately diagnosed, have their medications adjusted or stabilized, or be treated during an acute episode. Hospitalization may occur voluntarily when someone decides it is the best decision for themselves, at the insistence of a family member or a professional. Involuntary hospitalization occurs only when an individual is a danger to themselves or to others and is refusing voluntary inpatient treatment or as a result of a court order.
While receiving inpatient psychiatric care, individuals and if desired, their families work together with treatment providers to create a treatment plan based on the individual’s specific needs. The treatment plan may include incidental services such as:
- Psychiatric Evaluation
- Medical Evaluation
- Nursing Assessment and Care
- Psychotherapy
- Addiction Counseling
- Medication Management
- Discharge Planning
- Family Education
The Department of Mental Health (DMH) currently operates Vermont’s only state-run psychiatric inpatient facility, Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital. In addition to VPCH, DMH currently designates six hospitals to provide psychiatric inpatient care in Vermont. All six hospitals provide services to adults while the Brattleboro Retreat also provides inpatient services to children and youth.