Assessing Port Charlotte Mental Health Services

By Eliza Mendoza


It is common knowledge that people who are mentally ill do not belong in jail or the prison systems. The Port Charlotte mental health system has developed a program that is unique to Florida and all but unheard of in the country. Through this program the mentally ill defendants are evaluated and if qualified placed in treatment rather than incarcerated. The program is voluntary for the defendants and saves many of them from serving unnecessary time in jail.

They have experienced a high rate of success within this program and the rate of recidivism has dropped markedly. The team is made of seven entities including the judge, a court program manager, a treatment team, defense counsel, state attorney, department of corrections and county probation personnel. This group determines whether or not a candidate is eligible and what treatment they receive.

Through intervention and treatment they seek to provide the public with the safest possible atmosphere while treating the mentally ill with the most up to date and effective methods available. The program provides defendants with access to counseling and medical assistance in the least restrictive manner obtainable. An intricate part of this program helps to prevent defendants with mental issues from unnecessary incarceration.

This city also has a drop in center to serve the mentally distressed population. This center offers peer counseling as well as medical assistance. The staff is all volunteer and consists of people who have found recovery and are willing to share their experiences with those seeking that same recovery. There are also student nurses and offenders serving community service time that help to operate the facility.

This may be the first self service program designed to assist the mentally ill population. They allow people to stop in and simply spend time at the facility talking to others in group or individual situations. The medical staff strives to be less formal and more compassionate than most medical facilities. They also encourage participants to help themselves and become self determinant rather than dependant on others to meet their needs.

In addition to the earlier mentioned programs there are several other clinics available to the mentally or emotionally challenged population found here. These clinics offer assistance for those in need and some of them have a sliding scale fee program. The clinics serve adults as well as children and adolescents and specialize in parenting and child psychology classes.

Case management is part of a comprehensive treatment plan. The case managers help with life plans for the patients and assist them to access the services available. Case managers usually follow a client for at least six months and have personal meetings with them at thirty day intervals.

It is known that treatment works for the mentally ill and with the appropriate array of services available they can ensure recovery as well as the health and safety of families and the community. When calculating the consequences of any untreated Port Charlotte mental health issues one needs to look at the negative impact it can have on the financial aspect of police, educators, emergency rooms, and businesses to see the importance of a comprehensive program of treatment and recovery.




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