Section 18Sec./Art. 18

Psychiatric, Psychosocial, and Neurologic Services in Regional, Provincial, and Tertiary Hospitals. - All regional, provincial, and tertiary hospitals, including private hospitals rendering service to paying patients, shall provide the following psychiatric, psychosocial, and neurologic services;

(a) Short-term, in-patient, hospital care in a small psychiatric or neurologic ward for service users exhibiting acute psychiatric or neurologic symptoms;

(b) Partial hospital care for those exhibiting psychiatric symptoms or experiencing difficulties vis-à-vis their personal and family circumstances;

(c) Out-patient in close collaboration with existing mental health programs at primary health care centers in the same area;

(d) Home care services for services users with special needs as a result of, among others, long-term hospitalization, noncompliances with or inadequacy of treatment, and absence of immediate family;

(e) Coordination with drug rehabilitation center vis-a-vis the care, treatment, and rehabilitation of persons suffering from addiction and other substance-induced mental health conditions; and

(f) A referral system involving other public and private health and social welfare service providers, for the purpose of expanding access to programs aimed at preventing mental illness and managing the condition of persons at risk of developing mental, neurologic, and psychosocial problems.