Current and Emerging Treatments for Mental Illness and Associated Environments of Care

Synopsis

Brain science has made many exciting advances in the last decade. Understanding of this complex area is improving and so are options for people with severe mental illness. This presentation will discuss current and emerging psychiatric treatments, their procedures, side effects, regulations and outcomes for modalities such as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Esketamine Therapy, Psychedelics and more. Close to 80% of people who receive electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) for their mental illness improve greatly, with very few suffering setbacks as a result. It is often the first time they experience real results since diagnosis. However, this effective treatment modality has a complicated history with intense stigma and little consistent regulations. In addition to ECT, there are several other emerging interventional modalities proving successful in treating acute mental illness. This presentation will look at the physical environment required for these treatment modalities and how flexibility plays a key role in evolution of care. Discussions around clinical and licensing considerations will provide a holistic view on these emerging treatments and their powerful outcomes. It will also share project examples of neuromodulating suites, including different design solutions and approaches to flexibility.

This presentation will also share an in-person clinical perspective from Dr. Karen Lommel, who is currently the Jolley Endowed Chair for the Department of Psychiatry and the Medical Director for the Marshall I Pickens Psychiatric Hospital at Prisma Health in Greenville, South Carolina. Dr. Lommel has experience with many of these treatment modalities, how patients respond, space needs and more.