Riverview Psychiatric Center is a psychiatric hospital in Augusta, Maine. The center recruits for volunteers from the United Way for certain services.[1]
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Modern psychiatric hospitals evolved from, and eventually replaced, the older lunatic asylums. The development of the modern psychiatric hospital is also the story of the rise of organised, institutional psychiatry. In the 19th century, institutionalisation was found to be the "correct solution" to the problem of "madness".
In 1834, the Maine Legislature established the "Maine Insane Hospital", and together with private donations, state appropriations enabled the hospital to open in 1840.[2]
From 1946 to 1962, a Dr. Sleeper served as the superintendent, and his name lent itself to the Sleeper Era, a period of several changes to services, including "unitary control" of nursing, hiring of an additional psychologist and interns, hiring of a pharmacist and a dentist, and creation of a library with a librarian.[2] From the late 1940s through the early 1960s, "the hospital experienced extensive over-crowding."[2] In the 1960s, a new superintendent, Dr. Patterson, mandated discharge of patients (as opposed to leaves of absence), which raised admissions, yet, "the population began to drop because of use of new medications."[2]
In the early 1970s, many patients were de-institutionalized under the rubric of patient rights, by supervisor Roy Ettlinger, which led to the inmate population dropping from 1,500 to 350.[2] Patient advocates were also hired, and an ongoing reevaluation of the removal of patients continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s.[2] In 2004, a new "92-bed civil and forensic psychiatric treatment facility" was built to replace the now-old state hospital.[2]
In 2007, a state investigation revealed that many potential patients were turned away.[3] At the time, a report to the state legislature reported that the vast majority had other places to go for help, but Eight Percent, or 30 patients, ended up in emergency rooms.[4]
Riverview Psychiatric Center provides a number of services to patients.
The crisis stabilization unit is in effect an emergency room for psychiatry, frequently dealing with suicidal, violent, or otherwise critical individuals. Laws in many jurisdictions providing for long term involuntary commitment require a commitment order issued by a judge within a short time (after 72 hours, the evaluation period) of the patient's entry to the unit, if the patient does not or is unable to consent themselves. In Maine, this is also true.
As of 2010, some criminal defendants are held at Riverview Psychiatric Center, especially those who claim the insanity defense.[5]