Connecticut Valley Hospital - Admission, Treatment & Discharge
Pertinent referral processes have been established for each Division and each program has been assigned resources to conduct admissions, provide treatment and arrange discharges according to distinct legal and clinical criteria. The Hospital plans for the appropriate care, treatment and services of patients under legal or correctional restrictions, coordinating administrative and clinical decisions regarding length of stay, restriction of rights and plan for discharge and continuing care.
Because CVH is a tertiary facility of DMHAS, all admissions to its General Psychiatry Division are referred by the Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) which serve the State.
The General Psychiatry Division is a statewide service and has arrangements with LMHAs for the assignment of case managers to continuously provide information to the treatment teams of their assigned patients as to opportunities for accessing other appropriate levels of care within a particular locale. The case manager participates in the decision-making about discharge and may request special evaluations through the hospital or through the Office of the Commissioner to verify the appropriateness of continued treatment, discharge, and discharge arrangements. This partnership fosters continuous consideration of less restrictive alternatives and has a positive effect on a patient’s sense of belonging through the interest expressed by the community representative.
Usually, discharges of long-term patients require progressive steps of acceptance both by the patient and the community agency. Community visits as well as other therapies focused on this process may be required to educate and provide practice for transitioning patients. The hospital is very proactive in assuring patients have the opportunity to participate in community programs before discharge. Patients are transported daily throughout the state in order to reduce apprehension and to more carefully plan for the provision of additional services when observed to be necessary.
Admission to the Addiction Services Division (ASD) is facilitated through a Screening and Admissions Unit which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Admissions are referred from a wide variety of sources, including self-referrals, community addiction and mental health services agencies, hospitals, various court diversion programs, and transfers from within ASD or other CVH divisions. Admission criteria are determined by the DMHAS Connecticut Client Placement Criteria (CCPC), which is derived from the (ASAM) (PPC). Both the detoxification and rehabilitation services represent the most intensive levels of care represented in the CCPC levels of care. As a result, clients admitted to these levels of care tend to have complex needs, including high addiction severity and significant psychiatric, medical, and psychosocial problems. Most clients are admitted on a voluntary status, although many clients are admitted for detoxification under a five day Physician’s Emergency Commitment (PEC) status. Many rehabilitation clients are referred from the court system under either a pre- or post-conviction status, with treatment offered as an alternative to incarceration; a few are referred under a civil commitment status. CVH Addiction Services is the statewide designated provider for its levels of care for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Evidence-based practices with an emphasis on gender-specific treatment guide are aspects of care planning. As part of the discharge planning process, clients are assisted in connecting to continuing care and associated community support services, including medication assisted treatment where indication.
The General Psychiatry Division provides recovery oriented inpatient treatment services to a diverse client patient population throughout the state. In addition to the general psychiatry units, there are three units providing specialized program service areas: Young Adult Services (YAS) Unit, Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury (ABI) Unit as well as several units servicing the Older Adult population. Admissions to the General Psychiatry Division are facilitated by our Centralized Admission Department. Referrals are made through the appropriate LMHA and screened in the Admissions Office. The Admissions Office works closely with the Office of the Commissioner to best meet the needs of all referrals.
Treatments and interventions identify and build upon each individual’s assets and strengths for one’s discharge planning. Patients and service providers work together and recognize the importance of family, significant others, advocates, and community partners in one’s recovery process. There are a variety of contacts available to families, significant others, and community partners on each unit. The Unit Director and Psychiatrist Team Leader work collaboratively with other various disciplines in order to ensure that treatment & recovery plans are implemented. A Program Manager and Service Medical Director provide the administrative and clinical leadership for each service, and report to the office of the Division Director.
Included in the variety of providers assigned to each individual patient is the Social Worker who serves as the Family and Community Partner Liaison. In addition, the Division also partners with a variety of other hospital wide services which include Advocacy, Ambulatory Care Services, Physical Therapy, Speech and Language Therapies, Occupational Therapies, Rehabilitation Therapies, Psychology Services, Multicultural and Interpreter Services, as well as other community partners and significant others.