Residential mental health care

After someone has been in hospital, either voluntarily or as the next step in life after being sectioned, they may go a mental health residential facility. These are for people who are no longer ill enough to be in hospital but are not yet ready to go home.

This housing works much the same as supported living. The key difference is that people live in this housing temporarily. How long this is depends on the individual, it could be a few weeks to a few years.

Going into residential care after being sectioned

If someone has been hospitalised under certain sections of the Mental Health Act 1983 (Sections 3, 37, 45A, 47 or 48) they are entitled to free aftercare under Section 117.

This aftercare is arranged through the local authority or NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). It could include a stay in a residential mental health facility. Even if they were forcibly detained in hospital, they still have the right to choose which residential facility they go into next.

The resident may have to pay for their rent, while the local authority will pay for their care. If the person is eligible for certain benefits, they may be able to use these to pay their rent. 

What support do residential mental health facilities provide?

The goals of residential mental health facilities are to help residents to live a life that is meaningful to them and to be as mentally well as they possibly can be. 

Support can include:

• Managing medication. It can happen that people stop taking their medication, because they think they are better or for another reason. In a residential facility, support staff ensure they do not skip or overdose on their meds.
• Assessing risks. This could be risk of reoccurring self-harm, suicide attempts or risk of relapse due to not taking medication.
• A sense of community and understanding from living with other people with similar challenges. Accommodation is usually a room in a small house where residents eat and do activities together.
• Good nutrition. Many people with mental health problems do not prioritise good nutrition. Support to eat well can have a positive impact on physical and mental health.
• One to one and group therapy. In between hospital and going home, these therapies are crucial in supporting someone to keep pushing towards their goals. They can help to prevent multiple relapses that mean they are repeatedly in and out of hospital.

Each facility is unique in what they offer, particularly if they specialise in a specific mental health need.

Residential care after rehab

Many people choose to go into residential support for a period of convalescence after completing a rehabilitation programme for alcohol or drug addiction. For many people, going back to their usual environment and routines too quickly can trigger a relapse back into their substance abuse. Residential care is a halfway house between the supervised detoxification and structured activities of rehab, and returning to living fully independently but without misusing substances.

Some people choose to go into a residential care home for a few weeks, while others prefer a Sober Living House. A Sober Living House is form of residential mental health facility with focus on supporting people to stay clean and sober. They have rules that residents must follow, such as no alcohol allowed on the premises or that everyone must attend a daily meeting to discuss their feelings and progress.

These sober living houses are not exclusive to alcohol or drug addiction. They can accommodate people with all sorts of addictions, such as gambling, sex or those with eating disorders driven by addictive behaviour.

Therapeutic communities

Therapeutic communities are very similar to residential mental health facilities. However, they are led far more by the residents themselves. Some therapeutic communities have day units or part time residency.

Communities have scheduled group therapy meetings each day, with emphasis on helping each other. The group may have community values and create rules together to live by within the community to support their collective and respective recoveries.

Therapeutic communities can be particularly helpful for people who are less in need of care and medication and more support and incentive to manage their behaviour, such as recovering addicts or people with personality disorders. They offer a quieter environment with more privacy than a hospital, which can act as an incentive for participants to stick to the community rules and avoid relapse.