The Wyatt standards: an administrative viewpoint

The author, the fifth superintendent of Alabama's Bryce Hospital since the Wyatt v. Stickney order was issued in 1972, discusses the major problems faced by an administrator in complying with the court-set standards. They relate to qualified mental health professionals, staffing ratios, staff attitudes, individualized treatment plans, and the hospital's negative image. He also discusses the role of the human rights committee and the hospital's goal of providing treatment of sufficient quality that the court order will be lifted.