Behavioral Health Inpatient Care

Inpatient Care at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital

When substance use or mental illness puts the well-being of you or someone else at serious risk, inpatient care provides protection, security and a path to recovery. Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health Services at Palos Hospital offers inpatient care and medical treatment delivered in a controlled environment, away from the stress of daily life, so you can focus on getting better.

Who Can Benefit From Inpatient Care

Behavioral health inpatient care at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital may help those who are:

• Abusing or addicted to a substance
• Living with severe depression and having suicidal thoughts
• Hallucinating
• Having severe anxiety
• In danger of injuring themselves or someone else
• Living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Showing symptoms of dementia or Alzheimer’s
• Living with a serious mental illness
• Unable to perform daily activities

What to Expect in the Hospital

After arriving at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital for inpatient psychiatric care, you will meet with a team that includes a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse, occupational therapist and social worker to discuss your symptoms.

After a thorough assessment, you will work with your care team to develop a personalized treatment plan that may include:

• Individual psychotherapy – Explores the thoughts, feelings, behaviors and relationships that led to hospital admission and provides strategies for constructively dealing with them
• Group therapy – Offers a chance to learn from your peers in a setting where you will feel accepted and understood
• Medication evaluation
• Sensory room – Lets you calm yourself using music, images, weighted blankets, rocking chairs and other tools
• Occupational therapy – Builds skills required for independent living
• Chemical dependency treatment – Helps you recover from a substance use disorder or addiction

Family Involvement

In most cases, family involvement is strongly encouraged. You can specify family or friends who may participate in your treatment.

Staying in touch with your support system helps you recover. During your inpatient stay, you may welcome one adult visitor at a time from 6 to 8 pm daily.