. The investigator has been working as a Psych Aide at Crossroads Hospital for over two years. In this position, the investigator has been called upon to fulfill several duties and responsibilities, most of which are similar to those expected of a correctional officer. These duties and responsibilities include such tasks as enforcement of facility rules, policies and regulations central to both maintaining the confinement, safety and health of patients as well as the general operation of the institution.
Because of the wide variety of tasks which the investigator is expected to perform as a Psych Aide, the position is particularly good for participant observation in that these tasks bring the investigator into plentiful contact with both patients and hospital staff. The investigator works in this position full time during the summers and on an on-call basis during the other periods of the year.
Nature and Consequences of Changes at Crossroads
Both before and after changes, the hospital described itself as follows:
Crossroads Hospital occupies a unique position in the Los Angeles area as the only full-service psychiatric and chemical dependency treatment hospital devoted exclusively to adolescent care.
The hospital also has earned a reputation as a treatment center that healthcare professionals and parents can turn to for even the most difficult psychiatric and chemical dependency cases (Crossroads Hospital Public Relations Brochure, 1990, p.1).
The key aspect that needs to be focused on in the foregoing quote is the idea that Crossroads Hospital is viewed by both staff and outside professionals as able to treat very severe cases of adolescent chemically dependency and psychiatric disorder. One of the reasons for this reputation was that, prior to 1990, the facility offered an extensive long-term inpatient program.
Typically, the severely disturbed and/or chemically dependent adolescent admitted to Cro...