| The Elgin Mental Health care Center? Suppose if a | | | | began in 1983, when hospital census was at its |
| friend of you or someone in their family is to be | | | | lowest. Because of this, the hospital was on the |
| treated in a mental care facility, we try to find | | | | verge of closure. However, the state decided to |
| the best facility for them. After all, the goal is for | | | | close Manteno Mental Health Center instead. During |
| them to get well, and we believe that our choice | | | | this time, the hospital was practically rebuilt. While |
| of hospital is vital for the person's recovery. In | | | | the old buildings used a congregate model called |
| Illinois, when we speak of psychiatric facilities, one | | | | the Kirkbride plan, new physical facilities were |
| hospital easily comes to mind. That is Elgin Mental | | | | added such as cottages in order to adhere to a |
| Health Center or EMHC. As the second oldest | | | | segregate plan. There are two divisions, civil and |
| state hospital in Illinois, this facility opened in 1872 | | | | forensic. Each division has an acute treatment |
| under its former name, Northern Illinois Hospital | | | | center, office and conference rooms which |
| and Asylum for the Insane. The first-ever | | | | faculty and trainees can use. Forensic programs |
| physiological measurements of mental patients | | | | were further developed, and new affiliations with |
| were recorded by the Elgin Papers back in the | | | | medical schools were also made. Affiliations include |
| 1890s. By 1997, the Joint Commission for the | | | | that with The Chicago Medical School, among |
| Accreditation of Health care Organizations gave | | | | others. An increase in educational activities |
| EMHC, its commendation for two years in a row. | | | | showed that EMHC is also concerned with the |
| How the hospital was developed can be broken | | | | education of future doctors and medical |
| down into five phases. The first phase ended in | | | | graduates. Hospital system operations were also |
| 1893. A stable leadership was responsible for the | | | | modified. Activities of community mental health |
| gradual growth during this period. After this phase, | | | | centers are integrated in the system operations. |
| the hospital immensely grew to more than twice | | | | Community mental health centers refer their |
| its size. This second phase, which ended by 1920, | | | | patients to EMHC. These community mental |
| was characterized by a lot of politicking, leadership | | | | facilities include DuPage County Health |
| changes and power struggles in the system. For | | | | Department, Lake County Mental Health Center, |
| the third period, growth was more rapid. Hospital | | | | Ecker Center for Mental Health, and Kenneth |
| population, which reached its peak by the 1950s, | | | | Young Center. |
| increased for both geriatric and veterans. This is | | | | At present, admissions are close to 1300 annually. |
| because the period was post World War I and | | | | Patients are usually African-American, |
| World War II. By the time the third phase ended, | | | | Euro-American and Hispanic. The hospital holds 582 |
| hospital population declined. During this phase, | | | | to 600 beds and about 40 full-time physicians. Just |
| psychotropic medications were introduced. Other | | | | like any health facility, EMHC is harassed with |
| milestones for this period include the development | | | | problems and controversies with respect to their |
| of community health facilities, institutionalization, | | | | policies and programs. Nevertheless, Elgin Mental |
| until the decentralization of decision-making and | | | | Health Center continues to do what it is supposed |
| authority. This fourth phase ended until the 1980s. | | | | to do, and that is to provide the best treatment |
| The last phase is what some call the "rebirth." It | | | | for their patients. |