Inpatient Psychiatric Care

If you or your loved one experiences a mental health crisis, you need guidance and support from adult psychiatry specialists. We offer specialized care at the Missouri Psychiatric Center for adults with serious mental health conditions requiring short-term, intensive treatment.

Our 44-bed adult inpatient unit provides expert, personalized care in a secure environment. As the largest inpatient psychiatric center in the region, we can provide all the specialized behavioral health services and support your or loved one’s needs.

We also offer inpatient psychiatric care for kids.

Our Approach to Inpatient Psychiatric Care

Sometimes, a short hospital stay under the care of adult psychiatry specialists is the best option for mental health issues. At Missouri Psychiatric Center, we offer short-term treatment that includes medication, group therapy and family education and support. With this approach, we aim to stabilize conditions like severe depression or anxiety in a secure, controlled environment.

When to Get Inpatient Psychiatric Care

For mild to moderate mental health issues, outpatient care may be the best option. However, inpatient care may be the right choice if you or a loved one has a mental health crisis.

Signs that you or a loved one may benefit from a short-term stay in our inpatient psychiatric unit include:

Recent suicide attempt or suicidal thoughts or ideation
Self-harm or making violent threats to others
Severe depression that affects your ability to care for yourself or others
Moderate to severe postpartum depression
Manic episodes that affect sleep
Drastic changes in behavior
Hallucinations or delusions (unusual sensations and thoughts)
Severe intoxication or withdrawal symptoms

Getting Inpatient Psychiatric Care

If you are in immediate danger, go to the emergency department. You can also reach out to your primary care provider or behavioral health provider directly. We can help you decide if inpatient care is the best option and provide a referral.

Inpatient Psychiatric Services

Inpatient psychiatric care will be personalized to your unique needs. Your psychiatrist will lead your care team, which also includes:

Psychiatric nurses: Specialize in caring for adults with mental health conditions.
Social workers: Help arrange outpatient care after discharge from the hospital.
Other clinicians: Help support your care.

We’ll use a range and/or combination of therapies and techniques, based on your psychiatric evaluation.

Psychiatric Evaluation

When you’re admitted to our inpatient unit, you’ll meet with your psychiatrist. Your provider will ask questions, screen for mental health issues, give you a physical exam and order blood tests. You may also have a neurological assessment to evaluate your cognitive (brain) function.

Personalized Care Plan

Inpatient psychiatric treatment options at MU Health Care include:

Medication management, such as adjusting dosages and regimens to stabilize your mood and reduce your mental health symptoms
Group therapy on topics like problem-solving, communication, anger and stress management, coping skills and goal setting
Recreational therapy, which includes physical and leisure activities like arts and crafts

Interventional Psychiatry Treatments

Interventional psychiatric treatments can help improve moderate to severe mental health issues. For example, our team may recommend electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which uses electric currents in the brain to reduce symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder and other conditions.

Family and Caregiver Support Services

We want your family to have ongoing support and resources when you or your loved one leaves the hospital. Your care team will begin planning for discharge right away to ensure your family is prepared. We can also connect you to community resources, financial counseling and other services as needed.