Evening star., 1960-06-26
D. c. General
Begins Project
In New Building
By CHARLES G. BROOKS
Star stan Writer

from possible commitment to
st. Eli2abeths Hospital.
The program. given the green
light by the District Commits
Sioners only last year, started
in January and is an extension
of the work therapy program
for dope addictS initiated sew
eral years ago.
Still in its beginning stages,
the plan is expected to mush-
room when the old psychiatric
buildings are renovated and can
be used in another year.
1t means the beginning of
modern progressive care" psy-
chiatry for the city hospital and
was started largely through the
efforts Of DR.. John D. Schultz,
director and formerly
chief Of the psychiatric division.
Before the hospital began
using its new pSyehiatric build
ing several years ago, it had
very limited and substandard
facilities for mental patients.
This meant they could receive
only q minimum of actual
treatment and the unit was
largely confined to recommend
ing whether or not to have
them committed.
Addicts Treated
The new building, however,
makes it possible actually to
treat patients and. when the
old buildings are renovated,
the hospital will be able to
push a full-scale pSychiatric
conyalescent program.
Doctors will be able to treat
the acute phases of mental
illness and then gradually help
the patient back to adjustment
in the community as we'll as
make commitment recon-
mendations in more serious
cases.
District General achieved a
breakthrough in the treatment
of dope addicts when it recently
put two patients, cured of their
addiction; on the payroll. It
is the only general hospital in
the country to run a treatment
program for addicts.
Program Outlined
And it Is considered better
than that of the United States
Public Health Service in Lex
ington because here the
s'curedp addict may be fol-
lowed Up and directed in his
return to the community.
DR.. M. v. McIndoo, chief
medical officer for psychiatry,
and DR.. Bernard Levy, chief
psychologist, outlined the new
work therapy program devel-
oped with the help Of DR..
Josephine Buchanan, chief of
the department of physical
medicine and rehabilitation.
The psychiatric unit now
sees some 5000 cases per year.
About one third are sent there
Tor mental observation. Some
80 per cent are alcoholics and
OF these most are voluntary
admissions. Another third are
psychiatric cases who volun-
tarily come in.
OF the voluntary group, 40
per cent are sent to st. Eliza
beths. A third of the mental
observation cases are COM
mitted.
Under the new program, GER
tain selected patients are being
put through work therapy. It
may be a six-month course for
some, supplemented by grouu
therapy. To date so have been
tried and of these 20 have
graduated"
Resident Refers Candidate
A resident in psychiatry-a
young doctor still working to
become a full-f1edged psy-
chiatrist-refers a likely candi-
date for work therapy to a
special committee. He is eval-
uated and tried in some work..
like situations.
After two weeks a decision is
made whether to return him
to the doctor or to send him
to work therapy. This decision
is made with the help of a
psychiatrist, a psychologist, a
social service worker, a work
therapist and counselor from
the Department Of Vocational
Rehabilitation.
The patient then may 60 to
work in the X-ray department,
dieteticS, the laundry, a shop
or in an office. filing and
typing.
II he works out we'll, he may
be returned to his home and
job. Or he may be sent to
the Halfway House near
Woodley road and Connecticut
avenue NV. which is sup
ported by a grant from the
National Institutes of Health.
Here, the more he tries to be-
come independent, the less he
has to pay,
He may, on the other hand,
spend a month or two working
in the community while living
at the hospital or he may live
at home and work at the hos
pital, depending upon the in
dividual.
Children's Unit
The psychiatric@ division, en-
abled by new facilities to ex-
pand, also has developed a
program for children in the
last two years and has the only
children's unit in the area.
Specially trained personnel
work with the children, who
may number up to 20. There
is much freedom of movement,
picnics and trips to watch dig
nitaries enter the Capital