Designing Mental Health Facilities: An Interactive Process
Peter Manoleas M.S.W.1
1 School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720; community mental health facilities design group of Eduardo Martinez Design Associates in San Francisco
Program and funding changes in mental health service delivery in the past 15 years have resulted in ever-changing demands on the use of physical space in mental health facilities. An interactive planning process facilitated by a multidisciplinary design team can anticipate and address many difficulties with space utilization in construction or renovation. An architectural feasibility study, including a careful definition of user requirements, is a useful document for facilitating intraagency communication, securing external funding, and moving capital projects to completion.
