The Behavioral Health Unit is a department of St. Catherine Hospital, operating in association with the Area Mental Health Center. This seamless psychiatric program means greater communication between inpatient and outpatient mental health providers and referral sources, expanded continuum of treatment services, and an outstanding community-based mental health resource for Southwest Kansas.

The Behavioral Health Unit is a local treatment center for inpatient psychiatric care providing emergency crisis intervention. Referrals include:

• Suicidal or homicidal situations, where there is imminent risk of harm to self or others, due to mental illness
  
• Situations in which the person is incapacitated or nonfunctional due to mental illness
  

Patients' immediate needs are addressed with crisis stabilization, acute psychiatric medical intervention, and counseling for severe mental illness.

The program is a joint effort involving the most experienced mental health staff, including psychiatric physicians, psychologists, psychiatric nursing, social work, and occupational therapy.

The physical location at St. Catherine Hospital enables professional consultation for any and all aspects of psychiatric need, providing a comprehensive treatment service for acute crisis management of mental illness.

The multidisciplinary team model, with input for diagnosis, treatment and discharge coming from all team members, provides an extensive scope of mental health knowledge and experience, allowing a greater range of treatment options and recommendations.

As a medical unit, the Behavioral Health Unit attends to the whole person, addressing physical and psychosocial aspects of mental illness. Treatment includes psychiatric assessment, individual and group therapy, psychological evaluation, social assessment, and occupational activity therapy.

Admission to the Behavioral Health Unit can be initiated any time, day or night, with one phone call to:

We walk you through the admission process, gathering patient information. We then contact the psychiatrist who makes the final determination on whether to admit the patient to the Behavioral Health Unit.

• Primary care physicians and other medical professionals
  
• Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses
  
• Social service agencies
  
• Law Enforcement agencies
  
• Area Mental Health Center staff
  
• Pastoral counselors and other religious professionals
  
• Self-admittance through the Emergency Department

We are a local unit for behavioral health inpatient care, keeping the therapy focus local, allowing families to have involvement in the treatment process.

A patient's social support is vital to maximizing the resolution of distress and maintaining stability. Psychosocial elements can be more effectively resolved when distance is not a factor.

Effective communication between inpatient and outpatient mental health providers and referral sources is an essential element to the treatment process.

Because St. Catherine Hospital and the Area Mental Health Center are a consortium, information regarding past and present treatment is easily accessible. We also ensure the referral source is given thorough information during admission and at discharge.

Since the Behavioral Health Unit is a joint effort between St. Catherine Hospital and the Area Mental Health Center, the patient is assured of continuity of care after the period of crisis has passed.

A range of services from acute inpatient, partial hospitalization, extensive day treatment, and outpatient therapy can be provided.

• Lisa M. Southern, MS, LMLP, LCP
  Director of Inpatient and Outpatient Services

• Max Meschberger, MS, LMLP, LCP
  Program Manager

• Caryn R. Murdok, BA
  Case Manager

• Elizabeth G. McGraw
  Administrative Support

• Jennifer Smith
  Attendant Care Worker