The Psychiatric Hospital and the Family

In 1977 there were an estimated 1,846,090 patient care episodes in psychiatric hospitals across the United States. The number of patient care episodes in inpatient facilities continues to increase from that measured in 1955 despite the national emphasis on “deinstitutionalization.” Yet the nature and focus of psychiatric hospitals, both public and private, have changed dramatically in the past fifty years. No longer are all mentally ill patients placed in distant hospitals that encourage separation from family and community. Many hospitals now work to include the patient’s natural support system, and families are increasingly vocal about their right to stay involved with their hospitalized family member. As hospital stays have become briefer, the need to incorporate the family in the treatment process has been recognized. We are witnessing the development of new roles for families with the psychiatric hospital and novel treatment strategies offered by inpatient staff to families. These exciting changes have led to an alteration in the attitudes of mental health professionals as well as an expansion of our knowledge and skills regarding the family of the hospitalized psychiatric patient. This book brings together the works of many of those professionals who have developed innovative and pragmatic clinical and research strategies for these families.