Mental health expert explains how Baptist deals with mental illness
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-Studies show that more than one in five adults in the U.S. live with mental illness.
Mental Health Therapist Kim Criswell said Baptist Memorial Hospital is always prepared to treat those who are dealing with the disease.
“We have an inpatient unit where we see patients who come in generally through the emergency room, who have a present danger to themselves or others, and are considered not safe to be outside the facility.” said Kim Criswell, Mental Health Therapist. “We treat them until they are medically stable or psychiatrically stable. ”
Treatment includes providing group therapy, individual counseling, and providing the necessary medications.
“We work with our patients to help them get a better idea of what they need on the outside, so that they can remain stable.” said Criswell. “We talk with them about what is a better life for you? what does that look like? what is it going to take to for you to be more stable in the community? we make sure when they leave, that they have the medication that they need. We make sure that they have a follow up appointment, that they are in with someone who can see them, also we provide a weekly follow up group”
Criswell said over the years funding has been cut back drastically for mental illness resources, which has put a limit on resources available to treat people battling with the disease, but this has not stopped Baptist from being a safe space for the community.
“If someone comes into the emergency room and clearly meets the criteria to be admitted to the behavioral health unit and we do not have a bed, we have people on call who will be willing to help that person and place them elsewhere”, said Criswell. “If we do not have a bed, we do not make them just sit in the emergency room, because if they are a danger to themselves or others, they are going to have to be placed.”
Studies also show the number of psychiatric hospitals in the United States continue to decline due to a shortage of mental health professionals.
“There are no words to describe how blessed we are and fortunate we are to have this facility.” said Criswell. “There are many people who have to travel a long way to get to a psychiatric facility. When you have someone who is at serious risk of harm to themselves, or others, they need to be in a safe place. Our goal is to provide people a place to be stabilized and become clearer in their thinking so that they can go back out into the community safely.”
Criswell said Baptist treats several thousand patients a year that have some type of mental illness.
