Adolescents in State Hospitals: Expensive Expediency

This editorial focused on adolescents in state hospitals. The Office of Biometry of the National Institute of Mental Health, which collects nationwide state hospital data, has not yet reported on adolescents as a group; thus far this office has included them in the two age intervals of "under 1...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of orthopsychiatry 1965-10, Vol.35 (5), p.825-827
Main Author: Gilbert, Anita
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Emotional Disturbances
Hospitalization
Hospitals, Psychiatric
Human
Humans
Mental Health
Protective Services
Psychiatric Clinics
Psychiatric Hospitals
Psychology, Adolescent
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Summary:This editorial focused on adolescents in state hospitals. The Office of Biometry of the National Institute of Mental Health, which collects nationwide state hospital data, has not yet reported on adolescents as a group; thus far this office has included them in the two age intervals of "under 15" and "15 to 24." However, state hospital officials and experts in problems of adolescence claim an alarming rise in the number of adolescent residents. It is time to examine the dearth of facilities for our emotionally disturbed teenagers in need of psychiatric care and to make recommendations for the establishment of effective programs. It is time that mental health workers categorically and adamantly insisted that adolescents do not belong in adult state hospitals. These young people need separately administered facilities conceived and designed to meet their specific needs. A facility for emotionally disturbed adolescents should be an autonomous institution with separate budget under specialized psychiatric leadership and selected personnel. It should be an integral part of the continuum of services, including courts, protective services, foster- care agencies and all others dealing with problems of adolescence. But above all, it should not be part of any state hospital. It is time for those in the mental health field to face the issue squarely and speak for a group which cannot speak for itself. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
ISSN:0002-9432
1939-0025
DOI:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1965.tb00460.x