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