Utah State Hospital

Description

Superintendent Welcome Message
Welcome to the Utah State Hospitals Website I hope that you find it informative and helpful This beautiful 314 acre campus located in the foothills of the Wasatch Front is home to a 354bed psychiatric facility The hospital was established in 1885 and has a very intriguing history All of the original buildings have been replaced with more modern state of the art facilities

We serve citizens from the entire state of Utah under the direction of the Utah Department of Human Services and Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health We provide treatment to individuals with Severe Mental Illness who are referred to us from the 11 Community Mental Health Centers operated throughout the state We provide Pediatric Services for children ages 6 18 Adults ages 18 and above as well as Forensic patients committed for mental health treatment through the Judicial Courts

A full array of professional services is provided to ensure that our clinical treatment is based on the principles of Best Practices The Utah State Hospital is known nationally for our innovative technology systems which afford us the ability to be more advanced in monitoring treatment outcomes and staying abreast of the most effective interventions for patient care

Our Mission is to quotprovide excellent care in a safe and respectful environment to promote hope and quality of life for individuals with mental illnessquot We are committed to a vision of RECOVERY for the people we serve and promote the values that instill Hope Courage and a feeling of personal Empowerment We believe strongly in the importance of family and friends in the recovery process and know that a persons support system can be one of their most valuable resources USH employs 800 exemplary staff committed to a standard of excellence in quality care Clinicians and Support Services Staff assist patients and families in everyway possible to facilitate a successful treatment experience while at the hospital We are proud of the Utah State Hospital and take great pride in serving the citizens of Utah

Mission
USH provides excellent care in a safe and respectful environment to promote hope and quality of life for individuals with mental illness

Vision
Our vision is to enhance patient recovery through dedicated service family and community networking collaborative research efforts and maximizing evidence based treatment practices

Values
USH works to continuously improve quality of care
USH partners with patients and community to instill hope and reinforce an
attitude of recovery
Dignity respect safety and integrity are the foundations of our
therapeutic environment
We earn trust through partnership with patients family and community

History

History of Utah State Hospital
The Utah State Hospital began as the Territorial Insane Asylum in 1885 at Provo Utah which at the time was a days travel from Salt Lake City The particular site in Provo was some eight blocks from the nearest residence and was separated from the city by swampland and the city dump The message this reveals about the prevailing attitudes regarding mental illness is unmistakable

The intervening years however have brought many changes the swamp has been drained the dump converted into a municipal park and the city has expanded to the point that there is no longer a stark demarcation of where the quotAsylumquot begins

From its origin the purpose of the Hospital was to treat the mentally ill and to return them to a normal level of functioning In spite of their best efforts however in its early days the facility was little more than a human warehouse In fact by 1955 the population at the hospital was over 1500 patients

Over the years tremendous advances in psychiatric medicine have changed the role of the Hospital to one of very active and successful treatment and rehabilitation Today it is truly a Hospital in every sense of the word

Furthermore the Hospital is no longer the primary deliverer of mental health services in Utah this role changed with the creation in l969 of community mental health centers Now residents throughout Utah can receive mental health services in their own community The Hospital has changed its role from the only mental health treatment facility into a supporting role for the community mental health centers

Today the Hospital provides 324 beds for Utahs mentally ill citizens who require treatment in a more structured setting Treatment is provided to patients ranging from age six years to geriatric age Specialized programs are offered for children adolescents forensic and adult residents

Since l986 the Hospital has received full accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations certifying the high quality of the Hospitals environment and treatment programs