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SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1987
"THE THIRD, AND ALSO THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE, IS THE QUESTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS INVOLVING VIOLENCE, SHE SAID.
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SHE SAID THAT ANYBODY COULD SUDDENLY BECOME VIOLENT AND THEREFORE IT WAS UNFAIR TO ASSOCIATE MENTAL PATIENTS WITH VIOLENCE.
"IN FACT, HALF-WAY HOUSES PROVIDE CARE AND SUPERVISION OVER THE RESIDENTS, THUS REDUCING SUBSTANTIALLY THE CHANCES OF THEIR RELAPSING IN THEIR ILLNESS AND BECOMING VIOLENT, SHE EXPLAINED.
누구
SHE POINTED OUT THAT A PATIENT COULD ONLY LEAVE THE HOSPITAL IF HIS MENTAL STATE HAD BEEN ASSESSED BY THE PSYCHIATRIST AS STABLE AND THE QUESTION WAS HOW TO MAINTAIN THIS STABLE CONDITION.
"FOR SOME, THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH MINIMUM CARE WHILE FOR OTHERS, MORE INTENSIVE REHABILITATION SERVICES ARE REQUIRED BEFORE THEY CAN REGAIN THE ABILITY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY," SHE SAID.
BOTH COULD BE DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL AND MOVE INTO HOUSES, SHE NOTED.
"THOSE WHO REQUIRED MINIMUM CARE CAN MOVE INTO HALF-WAY IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES OR PURPOSE-BUILT HALF-WAY HOUSES.
HALF-WAY
HOUSES
"FOR THOSE REQUIRING MORE INTENSIVE CARE, THEY WILL ONLY BE ACCOMMODATED IN PURPOSE-BUILT HALF-WAY HOUSES WHERE THERE ARE MORE FACILITIES, BIGGER SPACE AND BETTER EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE MORE CENTRALISED AFTER CARE SERVICES.
IN
"SUBJECT TO FUNDS AVAILABLE, THE SUPERVISOR POST PURPOSE-BUILT HALF-WAY HOUSES WILL BE UPGRADED TO SOCIAL WORK OFFICER AND THERE WILL BE TWO ADDITIONAL POSTS TO BE FILLED BY NURSES EXPERIENCED IN LOOKING AFTER MENTAL PATIENTS, SHE SAID.
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"APART FROM THE INTENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMME, THERE WILL BE REGULAR CASE CONFERENCES WITH PSYCHIATRISTS TO ASSESS THE PROGRESS OF THE RESIDENTS.
"THERE WILL ALSO BE A HOT LINE LINKING UP WITH THE NEAREST MENTAL HOSPITAL OR CLINIC SO THAT ASSISTANCE CAN BE OBTAINED IMMEDIATELY IN ALL CASES OF EMERGENCY," SHE ADDED.
SIMILAR TO HALF-WAY HOUSES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, THE CAPACITY OF A PURPOSE-BUILT HALF-WAY HOUSE WOULD ALSO BE 40 PLACES, BUT 25 PER CENT WOULD BE FOR ACCOMMODATING DISCHARGED PATIENTS WHO REQUIRED INTENSIVE CARE.
"SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT IS TO ENABLE ATTENTION TO THESE PATIENTS AND AT THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL HELP AMONG
DISCHARGED
SAID.
THE
SAME
MENTAL
STAFF ΤΟ DEVOTE MORE TIME, то PROMOTE THE PATIENTS," MRS WONG
/AT PRESENT,