Adult Psychiatric Services

ADULT

The Las Vegas Medical Center is a national leader in adult psychiatric services. In additional to providing quality care, the adult psychiatric units are at the forefront in offering select new medications and therapies.

The Medical Center makes adult psychiatric sservices available to all New Mexicans. By state law, adults admitted to the Medical Center for psychiatric services:

Must exhibit behavior that is currently, or imminently, dangerous to self or others due to mental illness; or
Must demonstrate behavioral symptoms severe enough to prevent the person from obtaining basic necessities, or such tht they cannot be tolerated by the person or society; or
Must show an inability to cope with or function in society for specific reasons that warrant inpatient treatment; or
Admission is legally mandated; or
Must need treatment which is only offered by the hospital.

The Las Vegas Medical Center's adult psychiatric complex has 150 beds in a variety of units. Some of the units designed to meet particular needs include:

Short-term for those who are acutely ill
El Paso cottage for patients needing a short term psychosocial program
Pinewood, a long-term psychosocial program, for those with serious persistent illnesses
Geropsychiatric for those who are at least 62 years old
STIC (Special Transitional Intensive Care), a behavioral psychosocial program, for patients with aggressive histories or patients who need a structured environment

Because the Medical Center provides quality adult psychiatric care, it was`selected as a research site in recent years for introduction of such breakthrough medications as clozapine. In addition, it has pioneered recovery programs designed to give patients an extra edge as they return to their homes and communities.

The Medical Center has close working relationships with many of the community mental health services throughout the state. It continues to advance efforts to ensure the smoothest possible transition from hospital to community and home environments.

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