The treatment approach at Mulbery Center at Harrisburg is based on a "therapeutic community" philosophy, where patients actively engage in treatment under the guidance of a comprehensive team of doctors, nurses, social workers and activity therapists.

Mulberry Center at Harrisburg has emergency admissions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Referrals can be made by calling (618) 252-0999 or (618) 253-7671.

Mulberry Center is designed to offer quality psychiatric care in an environment where comprehensive medical care is available. Through an interactive experience, patients learn to better understand themselves and begin accepting responsibility for their own well-being. This process provides opportunities for patients to practice effective alternatives for managing their lives.

Our eight-bed geropsychiatric unit allows separation of geriatric patients from the general adult population. This allows programming to be more tailored to the needs of each population.

Bradford House is a 'partial hospitalization program' serving people with less severe psychiatric episodes for six hours per day for up to five days per week.

Admission criteria - Individuals who are admitted to inpatient psychatric care must meet strict psychiatric criteria established by hospital policy and their individual payer source. Criteria are reviewed on a regular basis to determine when the patient can safely receive services in a less restrive settings.

Assessment - Much of their initial hospitalization will consist of assessment with various staff in order to develop an individual treatment plan.

Medication/Stabilization - Also occurring in the early hospitalization will be identification of medications and interventions which will contribute to rapid stabilization of the individual's illness.

Therapy - The patient participates in group-focused therapeutic treatment activities to develop strategies for coping with stressors. New skills are practiced in real-life situations to further enhance the desired change.

Return to the community - Inpatient hospitalization tends to be brief, with the average stay being less than 10 days. As progress is shown, patients make the transition back to the community. This may include discharge to intensive day services, placement in a group home or return to a nursing home, or return home, depending on patient needs.

In all cases, follow-up care with a therapist and/or physician will be provided unless the patient elects not to do so.