Harris County Psychiatric Center

About Harris County Psychiatric Center

Harris County Psychiatric Center (HCPC) is part of UTHealth Houston and is an inpatient hospital. They’re located on MacGregor Way in Houston, Texas. Notably, the center is the largest in Houston and provides care to 9,000 patients annually, including children, adolescents, and adults. They treat every type of mental health and substance use disorder. They accept private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and military insurance such as TRICARE.

Mental Health Specialty Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Houston

I noticed that this center has a separate track for patients with mental health and co occurring substance use disorders. Although they don’t have a medical detox unit, medical staff closely observes clients and they’ll provide medications to help ease detox symptoms if appropriate. Once a client is stabilized, they work to tease out the mental health symptoms from the substance use symptoms so they can treat each disease appropriately.

There are separate specialty units for adults with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, a geropsychiatry unit for healthy aging, and specialty services for mood disorders such as depression.

Another distinctive treatment available here is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment resistent depression. ECT relieves symptoms through the use of electrical currents and is highly effective.

Academic Psychology Services for Children and Adolescents

One of the unique features I think parents will appreciate is the access to academic psychology services for children and teens.

The psychiatrists and psychologists who teach at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas are full time staff at HCPC. This offers patients unprecedented support and access to cutting edge mental health treatments.

The team uses a multidisciplinary approach to treatment with dieticians, recreational therapists, chaplains, and social service clinicians all part of the team. This treatment approach addresses the needs of the families in addition to the patient.

The child and adolescent program addresses issues such as substance use disorder, trauma, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, behavior disorders, suicidal ideation and attempts, and many other mental illnesses.

The center is accredited by The Joint Commission, and all programs include multiple treatment modalities. Some common treatments include family, group, and individual therapy.