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Placing emotionally disturbed or psychotic people in a therapeutic facility.

Our views of mental institutions are often colored by media's portrayal of them, such as in the movies One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Girl, Interrupted. With an emphasis on care and treatment, the best institutions offer emotionally disturbed people a better chance at life. They can learn new skills, improve behavioral and psychological problems, and develop healthier self-esteem.

People with mild emotional or behavior problems often benefit from a short stay at an institution and benefit from a therapy protocol that minimizes the fact of institutionalization. However, severely disturbed people require a longer stay and a highly controlled