Offering Help and Hope During Life's Troubling Times

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about one in five adults in America suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. In addition, four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the United States are mental disorders - major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

For more than 40 years, Meriter Hospital has offered inpatient mental health services for adults with mental illnesses. The program provides the highest quality of services to improve the health status of patients, to support the patient and family throughout the patient's recovery and to work with the community to offer patients and families additional resources outside of the hospital.

Clinical Staff

Our highly regarded team has specialized training and experience in the area of adult mental health treatment. The treatment team includes psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, mental health specialists and hospital chaplains.

Our Facility

Meriter Hospital's Adult Inpatient Psychiatric program is designed for those whose mental illness symptoms call for around-the-clock hospitalization for stabilization. The program provides safety, a healing environment, a caring professional staff and effective treatment approaches.

Out unit offers semi-private rooms and several common rooms for dining and activities. A more secure Acute Unit is available for patients when greater safety or reduced stimulation is needed; this area has private and semi-private rooms, as well as a common room for dining and casual activities.

Conditions We Treat

A variety of mental conditions can warrant an inpatient stay. Patients who come to Meriter for help include those with:

• Depression
• Bipolar disorders (manic-depressive illness) 
• Schizophrenia
• Borderline personality disorder
• Anxiety disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

An individual admitted for an inpatient stay often has one or more of the following conditions:

• Overwhelming depression
• Strong thoughts or urges of suicide, or a recent suicide attempt
• Strong thoughts or urges of harming others, or a recent attempt to do so
• A need for initiation to or adjustment of psychiatric medication
• Difficulty functioning due to symptoms of mental illness

Clinical Assessments and Screenings

Meriter's personalized mental health services begin with a full evaluation to identify the scope and severity of problems. Depending on each patient's symptoms, the examination may include:

• Psychiatric evaluation
• Psychological testing
• Neurological examination and testing
• Behavioral assessment
• Suicide risk assessment 
• Independent living skills assessment
• Medication trial and evaluation
• Social network and resources assessment
• Medical lab evaluations
• Family assessment

We may share evaluation results with community professionals, especially in cases when it is appropriate to use the results in developing outpatient treatment plans. We respect our patients' right of confidentiality, and only share information with their permission.

Treatment at Meriter

We've designed treatment to decrease symptoms and improve communication skills, functional ability and coping strategies. Our goal is to help patients develop strategies to manage their lives in a healthy, positive manner.

Therapeutic Activities Offered

• Communication skills training
• Assertive communication training
• Stress and anxiety management education
• Occupational therapy
• Medication management and education
• Mental health education
• Emotional support for patients and family members
• Education about and referral to additional community services
• Individual problem solving
• Safety planning
• Education about the recovery process

Referrals

Community Psychiatrists with admitting privileges at Meriter may admit patients to the inpatient unit. Typically, patient care is transferred to one of Meriter Adult Psychiatry's hospitalist psychiatrists, who work on the unit daily with patients.

Payment/Insurance Information

Most insurance policies, Medicare and Medicaid include coverage for inpatient services. If you have questions about your coverage, please contact your insurance carrier.

Accreditation

Meriter's mental health and substance use disorder programs are certified by the Joint Commission and by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Quality Assurance.