Tuesday, January 28, 2014

. Discovering 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.

They have experienced a high rate of success within this program and the rate of recidivism has dropped markedly. The team is made of seven entities including the judge, a court program manager, a treatment team, defense counsel, state attorney, department of corrections and county probation personnel. This group determines whether or not a candidate is eligible and what treatment they receive.

The ultimate goal of this program is to ensure the public safety while helping the mentally ill to access programs that can improve their lives through treatment. The programs selected offer counseling as well as pharmaceutical solutions for the participants. They also attempt to place or keep them in living situations that are conducive to continual medical compliance.

Another innovative approach to serving the mentally ill population here is a drop in center where people who have issues can stop by and spend time with peers who volunteer their time and experience in one on one and group settings. Student nurses and others who may be serving community service hours work alongside staff to create an atmosphere of acceptance and recovery to those who participate.

The drop in group allows the clients to be involved with their recovery. It gives them back the right to be self determinant and work towards their dreams and hopes. They work to allow the clients to be free from dependency towards other people or the program. The medical staff is devoted to presenting a far more caring atmosphere than the average clinic.

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.

Most clinics and treatment centers offer case management for their clients. The case managers do an assessment of the patients needs and help them lay out a plan for reaching those goals. There is a call back system for these programs that allow for a monthly check in at the clients home to see that the client is progressing on schedule. Many clients require more frequent visits from the case manager and sometimes the plan is rewritten to accommodate the rate of progress.

It is known that treatment works for the mentally ill and with the appropriate array of services available they can ensure recovery as well as the health and safety of families and the community. When calculating the consequences of any untreated Port Charlotte mental health issues one needs to look at the negative impact it can have on the financial aspect of police, educators, emergency rooms, and businesses to see the importance of a comprehensive program of treatment and recovery.




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