Treatment Works!
By no fault of their own...
Severe and persistent mental illnesses- schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression - strike up to 3.5% of Missouri's population: that's about 78,00 of our family, friends, and neighbors residing in the Forensic Treatment Center (FTC) service area.
Mental illnesses afflict all segments of our community equally. They impair thinking causing hallucinations - seeing or hearing, things that aren't there - and delusions of paranoia or grandeur. They impair emotion and judgement, leading to poor decisions and inappropriate behavior.
Mental illnesses are "behavioral health disorders" that on occasion may require legal intervention. For some in our area, that intervention takes place at FTC.
Through proper diagnosis and effective management of an individualized treatment plan, most people with a severe mental illness can live satisfying lives.
Effective treatment may include a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and family and peer support. Meaningful social opportunities can also contribute to overall wellness and mental health recovery.
An effective treatment plan is also dependent on a well-integrated network of private and public, acute care and long-term psychiatric facilities, plus outpatient care services that may be provided through a private psychiatrist or publicly supported community mental health centers.