In Patient Care

There are times when a person becomes so ill that they are at risk of hurting themselves or others and hospitalization becomes necessary even though the individual does not wish to enter a hospital. While seeking help voluntarily is always preferable, if that is at all possible, the decision to hospitalize involuntarily can be more caring than it seems if that is the only way your family member or friend can get the care they need, especially if there is a risk of suicide or harm to others.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the following organization for information about 24 hour crisis services:

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's 24 hour toll-free crisis hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) can put you into contact with your local crisis center that can tell you where to seek immediate help in your area.

Mental Health America’s fact sheet “Mental Illness and the Family: Is Hospitalization Necessary?” includes questions to ask when considering whether hospitalization is the most appropriate option as well as questions to help you understand what to expect during hospitalization and upon discharge. To help in choosing an inpatient or residential treatment facility, if you have a choice of available facilities in your area, it can be helpful to talk with your psychiatrist or therapist, contact our local Mental Health America affiliate, and speak with members of area support groups for recommendations. You can also use U.S. News and World Report's Best Hospitals search tool as a resource by selecting "Psychiatry" in the drop-down box for "Adult Specialty".

The following resources can help you find a hospital or residential treatment program in your area as well as treatment programs throughout the United States. In addition, you can consult the resources listed in our Treatment FAQ  to assist you in your search for treatment facilities.

• American Association of Children's Residential Treatment Centers (Note: You can sort list of member treatment centers by state)
• American Residential Treatment Association
• Boston University School of Public Health's AlcoholScreening.Org (listing of Alcohol and Substance Abuse treatment facilities)
• Behavioral Tech, LLC (Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder)
• International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation's listing of Intensive Treatment programs
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA's) Mental Health Treatment Facility Locator
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator