Unlocked facilities run by us crazy folk have better outcomes for people in crisis! I actually think I covered this story a while back with a different article but it’s worth repeating. This makes me think of all the success Jayme is having at the Peer Wellness Center in Georgia. Jayme is the director and a psychiatric survivor who has rejected her illness and does not take meds.
From back in August an article in Medical News Today:
For people with grave psychiatric conditions, consumer-managed residential programs may be the way to go, a new study suggests. (Gianna comment: yup we take care of our own better than the professionals!!!—what a surprise)
Not only are the daily costs of these facilities cheaper than psychiatric hospitals, but patients of these programs may get healthier than their counterparts in traditional, locked institutions, according to the study, results of which have been published online by the American Journal of Community Psychology.More specifically, the study’s authors found that participants in a consumer-managed crisis residential program (CRP) experienced significantly greater improvement on several interviewer-rated and self-reported psychopathology measures than did participants assigned to a locked, inpatient psychiatric facility (LIPF). They also found that service satisfaction was dramatically higher among patients at the CRP.
Of course places like Soteria proved this a long time ago and meds were virtually not even used. People recover when they are respected and their process is allowed to go unfettered with support.
Stephany, I would like to hear more about the place your daughter goes to. I would like to start a listserve of people who use these kinds of resources and/or works there. We need to be in touch and share ideas! I think it’s wonderful your daughter found something that works for her!
yes, yes on this. my oldest daughter has a place in her state that is like Jayme’s and has helped her thru tough days, by having an environment like this, and still maintain her attempt at her college degree, w/out hospital confines. Jayme is amazing and a gift to this world!
There is a mental “hospital” in Sylva run by Meridian Behavioral Health Services. It may not be RUN by crazies… but the main treatment area is called the “Living Room”, and it is open 24/7 (and the front door is unlocked on the INSIDE)… when you come into the Living Room, a Peer Support Specialist will talk to you and help you determine what your current challenges are. The Living Room is also staffed 24/7 with Peer Support Specialists (read: crazies like us with tools), so you know you can talk to a peer any time, day or night. There is a “Medication Room” available to people, but Meridian reports that their patients never go in there 90% of the time.
This is based on the Recovery Innovations model (of Phoenix, AZ, and they have offices in 12 other states now).
And it is a Meridian PSS (elevated to management) who taught our PSS class this past January. So they are at least *thinking* of importing this strategy to the area covered by Western Highlands.
I think you might be thinking of the Rosenhan study which I posted here:
http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/on-being-sane-in-insane-places/
You know, this kinda reminds me of the old study where a grad student went into a psych ward, claiming he had issues, but the patients knew he didn’t and the doctors insisted he did.
In the end, we know how to relate to each other better (I feel) than a medical professional who had never experienced the symptoms.