Mental Health Hospitals in Philadelphia

Nearly 75,000 Philadelphia residents are served by 30 hospitals providing mental health care. These residents go to the hospital for reasons that include behavioral issues, emotional issues and also diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia and anorexia.

History

• The caliber of treatment at Philadelphia mental health hospitals has greatly improved over the years. Benjamin Rush, who founded the Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry in 1907, had the perception that the mentally ill should be segregated from the general population and could be made better through this separation. Clean, sanitary and humane conditions were not part of his plan. Thus, the hallways were dirty and patients were harmed. After failing multiple state inspections, the facility was finally closed in 1987.

Organizations in Charge

• To begin with, some Philadelphia mental health hospitals were managed publicly and some were managed privately. This dual form of management caused confusion and difficulty among patients and providers. Currently, Philadelphia mental health hospitals are managed by Community Behavioral Health, the Office of Mental Health and the Coordinating Office for Drug and Alcohol Abuse, and the Department of Mental Health.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

• The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) specializes in pediatric care. It is ranked number two in the country, preceded only by the Children’s Hospital of Boston. CHOP provides services for children and adolescents ranging from outpatient to inpatient mental health care. CHOP’s philosophy includes the family in the treatment of the minor patient.

Friends Behavioral Health System

• Another notable facility, Friends is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and is ranked 19th among U.S. psychiatric hospitals. Friends has a long and rich history behind it. Founded in 1813 by the Religious Society of Friends, the facility has Quaker roots and is considered to have been the first psychiatric hospital in the nation. Since the beginning, unlike the Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry, its philosophy has been to provide kindness and respect to patients.

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

• This facility also has a long history. In 1765, the University of Pennsylvania created the first American medical school, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania became the first teaching hospital in 1874. As of 2009, the facility is ranked 14th for psychiatry and 10th overall.

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

• While Thomas Jefferson provides an array of psychiatric services, it is particularly well known for adult inpatient mental health treatment. The services are all encompassing and address conditions such as psychotic disorders, mood disorders and serious anxiety disorders.