Patients and Families

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Information for Patients and Family - Welcome

At Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center, we offer the very best treatment for mental health and substance use disorders in a positive and friendly environment. Here we provide important information to help you learn more about our program and prepare for your visit.

Your treatment team

While you stay at our Center, we’ll use a team approach to your healing and recovery. Your treatment team consists of a dedicated group of professionals, including:

• Physicians
• Psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner
• Registered nurses
• Licensed practical nurses
• Psychiatric technicians (who manage care, lead coping and skill groups, and answer questions)
• Talk therapist (who helps you talk about your feelings and experiences and develop coping solutions)
• Care manager
• Dietary team (to meet nutritional needs)
• Pharmacist
• Protection staff (to ensure a safe environment)
• Recreation therapist (to help you improve coping skills and explore new games and activities for leisure time)
• Art therapists (who use art materials and group activities that allow you to express yourself through artwork and creativity)

After you arrive, your dedicated care team will work with you to identify your goals and make a plan to achieve them. Your treatment team will gather regularly to ensure we provide the right care to help you meet your goals.

Who’s who – How you’ll know

You can identify team members by the color of their uniforms.

• White lab coat, gray scrubs or business attire: Providers
• “Riverside” green: Nurses
• Maroon: Psychiatric technicians
• Purple: Unit secretary
• Navy: Care managers, admissions coordinators and therapists
• Black: Patient access team
• Gray polo shirt (says “Protection”): Protection officers

Making the rounds — We check on your needs

Expect members of your treatment team to meet with you frequently to check on your condition and ask about your personal care needs.

You’re an important member of the team, too

Of course, recovery takes teamwork. So, to heal and recover, your participation and cooperation are essential. Please ask questions and let us know how we can meet your needs.

Spiritual support

If you would like spiritual support during your stay, Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center has pastoral care representatives to assist you. Please let a care team member know if you would like a visit from a chaplain. Or, if you prefer and give permission, your own minister, priest, rabbi or other spiritual leader may visit. Please ask them to call your therapist first to ensure their visit time will not conflict with your group or other structured activities.

What to bring

When you come to Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center for treatment, you will not need much. Please bring only basic clothing and personal care items. The following is a list of what we allow on the unit:

  • Three changes of casual clothes (to wear to groups and therapy sessions)
    o 3 shirts (crew neck only sweatshirts, long sleep shirts)
    o 3 pants or skirts (no strings)
    o 3 pairs of socks and one pair of slippers (mandatory)
    o 3 underwear
    o 3 undershirts
    o 3 bras (without underwire)
  • Shoes for participation in recreational activities
  • Personal hygiene items (nonaerosol deodorant, soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, eyeglasses, hair brush, lotion)

What NOT to bring

For your safety and well-being, we do not allow the following items:

  • Cigarettes, lighters or matches
  • Firearms or weapons
  • Alcohol, drugs or paraphernalia (rolling papers, pipes, bongs, roach clips)
  • Items with sharp points and edges, such as knives, razors, safety pins, needles, paper clips, wire hangers, nail clippers, tweezers, ceramics, glass, compact mirrors, wire-bound notebooks, hair clips, bobby pins, barrettes, knitting needles/crochet hooks, etc.
  • Aerosol cans, nail polish, nail polish remover, hair removal cream, glue or other toxic substances
  • Over-the-counter or prescribed medications or anything that contains alcohol
  • Recording devices, cell phones, personal videos, radios, electronic games, CD players, CDs or clocks
  • Soda cans
  • Personal linens, personal pillows or stuffed animals
  • Curling irons
  • Cosmetics or makeup
  • Steel-toed boots, shoes with wooden soles, high heels, boots or shoes with buckles
  • Shoelaces
  • Clothing that shows images or words that reference violence, alcohol, drugs or sexual activity
  • Clothing with profanity or discriminatory or harmful words
  • Tops that reveal the midriff area or clothing items the staff considers too revealing
  • Tight clothing
  • Shorts above the knee
  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Hoodies or any other clothing with hoods or strings
  • Jewelry, including body piercings (even recent ones)
  • Belts or chains
  • Caps, hats, headbands or bandanas
  • *We’ll review head coverings on a case-by-case basis.

Also, please do not bring food or drink from outside the hospital. We’ll make alternative dietary accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

Compliments, comments, concerns, suggestions

If you have any concerns during your stay, please tell a member of your treatment team right away. We want you to have the safest, highest-quality care that respects your privacy and wishes.

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