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Civil Commitment Units
Units that serve civilly committed residents include Oak Unit.
Civil Commitment
BHTCs treat residents who are civilly committed for 90 to 180 days. These orders can be extended by the court. Learn more about civil commitment.
The role of the BHTC is to treat people in need of inpatient psychiatric care. Our commitment is to create a safe and secure therapeutic treatment facility where residents can get the treatment they need, and be the best neighbors we can be in the community. Our deeply-held value is to provide person-centered care, recognizing the humanity in all of our residents; and we will use this approach in all aspects of resident care.
Our Residents
Our mission is to treat people in need of inpatient psychiatric care. Our residents are civilly committed for 90 to 180 days, and orders can be extended by the court. Our deeply-held value is to provide person-centered care, recognizing the humanity in all of our residents; and we will use this approach in all aspects of resident care.
Our Program
BHTC residents remain in a secure setting and live in the building and within the secured, walled yard for the entirety of their care.
We provide services and activities that are respectful to people across all cultures and backgrounds. The services include:
- initial intake and evaluation,
- medical screening, psychiatric screening, risk screening,
- complete psychological/biological/social evaluation,
- treatment and peer support.
The goal is to stabilize the illness and improve the person’s mental status and behavior. We want them to recover and be able to return to their home or another, less-restrictive living arrangement with appropriate integration into aftercare services.
All residents receive thorough discharge plans that are individualized with the support needed to meet their needs in the community. These include wraparound supports like medication management, case management, and medical care. Discharged residents are given a warm handoff to their next location, including transportation to their next residence from DSHS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does it meant to be civilly committed?
A civil commitment is one of the two routes for admission to a state psychiatric facility in Washington. It begins with an evaluation by a county-designated mental health professional. The mental health professional can commit a patient to a hospital for a 72-hour evaluation if he or she is dangerous to themselves or others due to a mental disorder. The related statute is Chapter 71.05 RCW. Discharge planning begins as soon as a patient is admitted. Learn more about the civil commitment process.
Do residents leave the unit at any time?
Residents may go offsite for medical or other needs – a trip to a local hospital, medical appointments, or housing appointments. Any trips off-campus by residents are carefully planned and include staff members as escorts.
Besides these off-campus trips, are residents able to leave the unit?
At the present time, residents remain within the unit at all times except for scheduled off-campus trips. They are able to access an enclosed fenced yard for exercise and recreation purposes.
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