Jaques Black presented a workshop at the 2008 American Psychiatric Association...
On October 2nd, Jaques Black presented a workshop at the 2008 American Psychiatric Association 60th Institute on Psychiatric Services Meeting in Chicago. This workshop, “The Design and Renovation of Therapeutic Space in an Over-Regulated and Under-Funded World” prepared and delivered with Dr. Virginia Susman, deals with the current regulatory climate specifically related to patient safety issues. The presentation proposes that simply removing risk is not consistent with providing a therapeutic environment for the patient. Other issues such as clinical assessment, staff oversight, the dignity of the patient and the actual design of the spaces is of greater importance in providing a healing environment. Planners and designers are hard pressed to strike a balance between codified standards, patient comfort, clinical needs and creative expression.