One of the most frequent questions from families of a loved one with serious mental illness is ‘Where will my son/daughter/sibling live, and how will he or she obtain the support and develop the skills to have a decent quality of life in the least restrictive setting possible. Fortunately, the days of long-term institutionalization are over. Recovery is now a meaningful concept for many people with serious psychiatric conditions. But as I mentioned in a recent post (“Time To Start Walking the Walk: Towards a Science-Based Definition of Mental Health Recovery”), it is not enough to merely talk about people getting better. We need a scientific approach to mental health treatment and rehabilitation that actually results in better life outcomes for people with mental illness.
Residential Treatment is an effective and humane alternative to long-term hospitalization. In the best centers, it is also oriented towards recovery. ClearView Communities in historic Frederick, Maryland is one such center. Residents are not just provided with a comfortable place to live. They receive evidence-based treatment, training and support to learn skills to help them live independently, seek employment and integrate in the community.
ClearView Communities takes a family-friendly approach to mental health care. In fact, ClearView was established in part with funding from the father of a man with schizophrenia who became interested in research, alternatives to incarceration, and rehabilitation services that would benefit people like his son. Another distinguishing trait of ClearView Communities is its outstanding leadership. Dr. Eric Levine, the Executive Director, has an extensive background in behavioral health and special education, and is an adjunct professor at George Washington University. Dr. Michael Knable, the Medical Director, is a prominent psychiatrist who has co-authored a book on bipolar disorder with Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, and has served as a clinical associate at the National Institute of Mental Health and as medical director and executive director of The Stanley Medical Research Institute.
According to its website, ClearView is “a private, fee-based therapeutic community where people in recovery from serious mental illness live and work toward independence.” Because the program is intensive and services are privately paid, it is not for everyone. “In the same way every patient is an individual with a different set of problems and challenges, every family is different and has different options for intervention. For some families, this is a solution.”
Resources to Recover is pleased to add ClearView Communities to the growing directory of “Family-Endorsed” Mental Health Providers on rtor.org. For more information on ClearView Communities or Family-Endorsed Providers, contact one of our Resource Specialists for live assistance:
There are many sides to mental health recovery. Jay’s blog takes The Family Side.
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