Levels of Care
- Primary Care: first point of contact; outpatient-based care.
- Serves to provide preventive and promotive mental health practices. This involves information dissemination, early consultation, alleviation of early symptoms, and health education.
- Youth Seminars: substance abuse, alcoholism, sex education, stress and anger management, problem solving and conflict resolution skills, social skills, proper personal hygiene, environmental sanitation.
- Prenatal and Perinatal Seminars: prenatal and parenting class, proper nutrition for pregnant and lactating mothers, newborn care, importance of immunization, normal growth and development, child rearing practices, proper nutrition and hygiene for children, father roles in child development, family planning
- Community Seminars: healthy lifestyles, good hygiene habits, crisis interventions, disaster preparedness, environmental sanitation and waste management, immunization, communicable and non-communicable diseases
- Curtailing the disease process: case finding, surveying, early detection, immediate implementation of treatment, early recognition of symptoms, identifying available resources, case management
- Serves to provide preventive and promotive mental health practices. This involves information dissemination, early consultation, alleviation of early symptoms, and health education.
- Secondary Care: referral to psychologists and psychiatrists where short hospital visits and consultation-liaison services e.g. assessment, counseling, and/or prescription drugs. Normally involves hospitalization.
- Hospitalization: admission to an institution may be voluntary or involuntary.
- Voluntary Admission: the client or their guardian seeks and signs consent for treatment, but with the right to leave even against medical advice (AMA).
- Involuntary Admission: the client is confined with a court order. This may be done for patients who are dangerous to their self or others, are gravely disabled, or mentally disordered.
- Emergency Commitment: without requiring a court order, a health care provider may confine a patient for 48 to 92 hours.
- Extended Commitment: treatment is renewed for a period of three to six months.
- Hospitalization: admission to an institution may be voluntary or involuntary.
- Tertiary Care: referral to psychiatric institutions if the mental illness needs specialized care or rehabilitation.
- Rehabilitation: measures to minimize relapse and chronic disability, and restoring the client’s optimal level of functioning. It involves recovery, continuing treatment, reduced hospital admission, personal growth, independency, social, vocational, and occupational functioning, and reintegration to the community.
- Stigma: reduce mental health stigma via PES; Protest, Education, and Social Contact Strategies (allow the community to interact with the mentally ill).
Mental Health Service Institutions
- National Center for Mental Health (Mandaluyong), previously named the Insular Psychopathic Hospital established in 1925 (opened in 1928) under the Public Works Act 3258. It is also a special research training center, and is a training facility for psychiatric doctors and nurses, among other affiliations. It has a bed capacity of 4,600 and serves 3,000 inpatients daily.
- Hospicio de San Jose (Quiapo) founded in 1782, fostered mentally ill patients, abandoned, surrendered, and neglected children, special needs individuals, and the elderly.
- San Lazaro Hospital Insane Department (Santa Cruz, Manila)
- Philippine Mental Health Association, Inc. (Quezon City) is a private, non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental disorders. It has 9 chapters around the Philippines. It was established in 1950 with Dr. Manuel Arguelles serving as president. They offer Education and Information Services (EIS), Clinical and Diagnostic Services (CDS), and Intervention Services (IS; split between the Center for Children and Youth, Adult Work Center) - The Medical City, Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH), University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC) among others. - Suicide Prevention Hotlines - Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF): 2191 (Toll-free for GLOBE and TM subscribers), (02) 804-HOPE (4673), 0917 558 HOPE (4673) - Manila Lifeline Centre (MLC): (02) 896-9191 or 0917 354 9191.
Importance of Mental Health
- Belonging: a community provides a sense of belonging. A true sense of belonging results in a feeling that the community will embrace and appreciate a person’s unique qualities.
- Support: for times of difficulty situations, people who will help one feel safe and cared for, with a positive outlook on life.
- Purpose: the provision of roles will give one a sense of purpose through bettering other people’s lives. Helping others is one of the best ways to help oneself.
Global and Regional Perspective on Mental Health
Mental Health Act (RA 11036)
This law proposes a mental health policy that aims to enhance the delivery of, promote, and provide access to mental health services and care on all institutional levels. It promotes and protects the rights of the individuals utilizing psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health services.
Mental Health Gap Action Program
A WHO program (est. 2008) collaborating with the DOH and LGUs to scale up care for MNS (Mental, Neurologic, Substance Use) disorders. Its goal of treating and preventing psychosis, epilepsy, depression, and suicide may be met with non-specialist care training. 75% to 90% of individuals with MNS disorders do not receive adequate treatment.