Tuesday 28 January 2014

Assessing Port Charlotte Mental Health Services

By Eliza Mendoza


It is common knowledge that people who are mentally ill do not belong in jail or the prison systems. The Port Charlotte mental health system has developed a program that is unique to Florida and all but unheard of in the country. Through this program the mentally ill defendants are evaluated and if qualified placed in treatment rather than incarcerated. The program is voluntary for the defendants and saves many of them from serving unnecessary time in jail.

The team that works with the mentally ill defendants is populated by members of their judicial system, a program manager and a treatment team. This team is responsible for determining who can and will benefit from this program. The participants must meet certain criteria to be accepted and the rate of success is high while the rate of recidivism is remarkably low.

Their goals are to intervene for the accused and ensure that they receive treatment that is best suited to ensure both the public and the mentally ill are safely dealt with. They work to help provide counseling and other medical solutions in the least restrictive manner available for the accused. This also serves to prevent the defendants who have minor violations from languishing in jail when they should be getting treatment.

Another approach with a high success record is the drop in program where people who are experiencing discomfort can come in to spend time with their peers. The peer contact allows them to know that they are not alone and allows them to learn from the experiences of others about how to cope with the issues at hand. This program is nearly all on a volunteer basis and also allows student nurses a perfect place to complete their internships.

This group strives for an attitude of dreams instead of limitations believing that everyone has a right to fulfillment of their life dreams. Creating a life of self determination instead of dependency, where they help themselves and make their own decisions and rely on their own skills and talents. The staff strives to administer treatment in a caring manner and do not maintain the normal professional distance you find in other, more clinical facilities.

In addition to the earlier mentioned programs there are several other clinics available to the mentally or emotionally challenged population found here. These clinics offer assistance for those in need and some of them have a sliding scale fee program. The clinics serve adults as well as children and adolescents and specialize in parenting and child psychology classes.

Some of the clinics offer case management for their clients. The case manager assists them with accessing services outside the clinical atmosphere. They also check on the client at least once a month to ensure they are doing well. The frequency of the home visits is dependent upon the severity of the clients' diagnosis and progress made with recovery.

Untreated mental illness is a problem in most cities that can drain the public finances. The costs can be seen in emergency room settings as well as businesses in areas that attract persons who suffer from these problems. Port Charlotte mental health services employ unique and innovative solutions for these problems. Ultimately they serve to ensure the safety of the general public as well as assist the emotionally disturbed people who need their help.




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