Merakey Philadelphia

Programs: The residential programs of phl behavioral health provide an essential part of the continuum of care for adults with severe and persistent mental illness. The services covering over 150 beds include long term structured residences (ltsr) and community residential rehabilitation (crr) programs. All residential sites maintained their licenses in the past year and achieved a 92% occupancy. Referrals are gate-kept by the phl office of behavioral health. Based on the success of these programs, the phl office of behavioral health initiated negotiations with nhs to expand beds to serve men with mental health and forensic histories. Another initiative is to develop a new program for men who have had long-term hospitalization to improve their ability to live in a less restrictive environment.

nhs philadelphia operates two community integrated recovery centers (circs). Together the programs serve over 200 men and women with severe and persistent mental illness. The programs are noted for utilizing creative arts therapies in order to facilitate the consumers' recovery. Music, visual and manual arts are offered to consumers. The consumers have formed their own choir and band and have performed at community events. Art work created by consumers is now decorating the walls of the board room at the 27 e. Mt. Airy office. The managers of the program presented their work at a state psychiatric rehabilitation program in the past year also.

nhs philadelphia operates two outpatient mental health clinics that serve adults and children. Together the clinics have a case load of nearly 4,000 individuals. During the past year, the programs have expanded the use of evidence based practices (ebp) as part of the treatment offerings such as prolonged exposure treatment, a modality for individuals who have experienced severe trauma, and dialectical behavior therapy, a modality for individuals with personality disorders that interfere with the ability to make deliberate and proactive decisions. The programs hope to add a third ebp so that they can become known as a credentialed center for these services. In the past year, nhs entered into its 14th year of collaboration with the drexel university psychiatry residency program in which third and fourth year residents complete their adult psychiatry experience at the mt. Airy clinic site.