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Who We Are
Eastern State Hospital, part of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services, was founded in 1773 with a well-intentioned emphasis on community-focused mental health care. Provides medical care, psychiatric treatment, supportive services and counseling for individuals with mental illness,18 years of age and up.
Psychiatric treatment is provided including diagnostic procedures, psychological testing, and therapeutic modalities are undertaken. Treatment plans focus on returning the mentally ill person to the community as a socially adaptable, useful, productive person accepting the limitations imposed by his/her illness. Patients are placed in nursing homes when appropriate to receive care when in ill physical health but no longer in need of continued psychiatric treatment. Referrals are made to the local mental health centers for preservation and maintenance of good mental health. Patients are referred to local health department for maintenance and preservation of good health as well as treatment of persons in ill health.
Patients are referred for home health care provided by local health department for maintenance in their individual living situations. Referrals are made to local departments of welfare for shelter, food, clothing assistance and for financial assistance, i.e., OAG and Medicaid, and to the social security administration for social security disability benefits or supplemental security income (SSI).
In addition, referrals are made to area agencies on aging for services to maintain patients in the community, as, meals on wheels, transportation, and environmental protection programs. Referrals are made to legal aid for justice, safety, law enforcement, and referrals for guardianship when patients are not capable of handling their own affairs. Hancock Geriatric Treatment Center also has an advocacy program to insure patient's rights.