Maintenance as treatment: the Fennell Program Day Centre

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation
• Community Psychiatry

Background:

• Chronic mental disability presents long-term treatment challenges.
• Traditional treatment models may not adequately address long-term needs.
• A maintenance approach offers a philosophy for sustained care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a day center program based on a maintenance treatment philosophy.
• To review the operational aspects of implementing such a program.
• To identify challenges and benefits of the maintenance approach.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive review of a day center program.
• Analysis of resources, costs, and target population.
• Examination of client needs, activities, and referral processes.

Main Results:

• The day center program is structured around a maintenance philosophy.
• Key operational components include resource management, client assessment, and activity planning.
• Both challenges and benefits were identified in the program's implementation.

Conclusions:

• A maintenance approach is a viable treatment philosophy for the chronically mentally disabled.
• Day centers can effectively implement maintenance-based programs.
• Careful planning regarding resources, client needs, and program structure is crucial for success.