Direct care and treatment

DHS operates a highly specialized behavioral health care system that serves people with mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and developmental and intellectual disabilities. Because their conditions are complex and challenging to treat, other health care providers cannot or will not serve these patients. 

The DHS-operated health care system includes psychiatric hospitals and other inpatient mental health treatment facilities; inpatient substance abuse treatment facilities; dental clinics, group homes, vocational sites, and sex offender treatment facilities. In all, DHS delivers these services at about 200 sites statewide.