Saint Anthony Hospital Welcomes Thailand Government and Health Officials to Explore and Study Its Behavioral Health Department
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 31, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005, Saint Anthony Hospital and its Behavioral Health department hosted a tour for the Thailand government and health delegation, consisting of five senior officials, to provide a learning experience that offers the unique approach to treatment in dual diagnosis of alcohol/drug addiction and mental illness. Under the leadership of Dr. Song Piyaka, Medical Director for the Behavioral Health Department, at Saint Anthony Hospital, the group gained knowledge and experience first hand, the methods and programs that Dr. Piyaka and his staff utilize in treating their patients. The visit kicked off on Monday, August 22 with a breakfast reception at the hospital, followed by a grand tour of the hospital. The week-long activities continue with a visit to the Pilsen Little Village Mental Health Center. The tour ended in Elgin, Illinois, where the group visited the Lutheran Social Services of Illinois facility.
Â?The visit is in preparation for the month long educational program, in September, where five to six mental health professionals from Thailand, consisting of psychiatrists and nurses, will have an opportunity to visit the U.S. and study with Dr. Piyaka and his staff on the methods used in the Behavioral Health Department,Â? explained Kathleen K. DeVine, President & CEO, Saint Anthony Hospital.
Â?The Thailand clinicians want to learn about the treatment of combining alcohol/drug addiction and mental illness. Our approach is to make it a simple program that will blend into your day to day lives, focusing on making it easily accessible, efficient, and a client-centered state- of -the art program in the community. This visit is an honor for me, to host this special program that greatly impacts the Thailand Mental health departmentÂ?, explained Dr. Song Piyaka, Medical Director, Behavioral Health Department.
The focus will be upon the systematic treatment of patients with dual diagnosis in psychiatric illness plus chemical addiction and alcohol dependency. These successful Thai health professionals were hand selected by their outstanding achievements and hard work in the Psychiatric field.
This program is used as a model for the Thailand mental health department. This is a result of a great deal of time spent by Dr. Piyaka, in Thailand over the years working on their medical educational and mental health services. A decade ago, he began traveling to Thailand, starting a successful missionary program, where he lectured on his practice and published several books on the treatment of addiction.
He developed this educational program as a postgraduate curriculum in Asia for Addictionology, as the first class started in June 2004 at Mahidol University in Thailand.
Born in Thailand, Dr. Piyaka earned his Medical Degree at the College of Medicine and Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University in Thailand. He continued to pursue his passion in the U.S. at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston and the Illinois Psychiatric Institute in Chicago. Since then, he has dedicated over 30 years in Chicago, serving patients and committing several years of teaching at Universities in Illinois and Thailand.
The Behavioral Health department, at Saint Anthony Hospital, consists of two programs: Inpatient psychiatry and the Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). The 29 bed inpatient unit provides care to patients with serious psychiatric problems such as depression, psychosis and substance abuse. The well-staffed professionals include a clinical mix of psychiatrists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, mental health counselors, activity therapists and mental health workers. In addition, the hospital has recently added an expert on chemical dependency. The PHP serves patients with highly innovative groups on symptom management, family dynamics, cognitive behavioral therapy, medications, stress reduction, role play, and art therapy.
For more information on Saint Anthony Hospital, call (773) 484-1010 or check out www.saintanthonyhospital.org
EditorÂ?s Note: Saint Anthony Hospital is spelled out and not abbreviated. Saint Anthony Hospital is located at 2875 West 19th Street in Chicago.
For over 100 years, physicians and staff of Saint Anthony Hospital have provided medical care, social services, and community outreach programs to Chicago’s underserved communities of Pilsen and Little Village. Today, Saint Anthony Hospital is known for its partnerships providing a full continuum of care from prevention and outreach to subspecialty services, to meet the needs of the community.
Saint Anthony Hospital is the only Chicago area member of Ascension Health, the largest not-for-profit Catholic Health system in the United States.
Saint Anthony Hospital is a member of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system with more than 100,000 associates serving in 67 acute care hospitals and dozens of related facilities in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Consistent with its mission to serve all people with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, Ascension Health provides clinically excellent care with an emphasis on innovation and a focus on transforming the healthcare industry.
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