DayCare Unit

Daycare unit is an intermediate tier between out-patient and in-patient services. It is intended for people with mental illness who do not need round-the-clock psychiatric surveillance although they should get emergency treatment similar to treatment provided for in-patients.

The patients in daycare unit usually presentsevere mental health problems and disability requiring both psychiatric and psychosocial interventions which should be coordinated with the services of other providers (e.g. district polyclinics, social welfare, expertise, etc.).

At the same time day care unit as a community-based service implies particular benefits for users. On the one hand patients remain in therapeutic environment receiving intensive treatment and daily symptom monitoring from medical staff. On the other hand they maintain relationship with their families and communities and do not encounter stigma associated with treatment in traditional psychiatric hospitals.

In fact in-patients often experience difficulties in adjustment to previous environment after discharge from a hospital that results in symptom relapses and deterioration of their illness. In addition treatment in day care unit makes possible to reduce as twice the costs related to treatment in traditional psychiatric hospitals. In general day care unit seems to be the best alternative of traditional treatment.