Administration
Riverview Psychiatric Center is governed by an Advisory Board, subject to the statutory authority of the DHHS Commissioner.
The Superintendent is the chief executive officer of the hospital followed by the Deputy Superintendent, Clinical Director, and Director of Nursing.
Medical Staff
Riverview’s clinical staff are dedicated to the humane provision of up-to-date psychiatric, medical, and dental care for our patients. The Medical Staff include psychiatrists, internists, family physicians, dentists, podiatrists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists, all of whom are skilled in modern treatment of mental disorders and concurrent health issues. Coverage is provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to ensure continuity of care and that patient needs are met acutely.
The therapies applied by the Medical Staff include psychiatric diagnostic interviewing, comprehensive physical exams, pharmacotherapy, individual and group psychotherapy, acute and preventive dental treatment, conscious sedation, treatment of primary care health problems, and referral to outside consultants for specialized medical care.
In addition to providing outstanding treatment, the Medical Staff are involved in ongoing education and host medical and physician assistant students, as well as psychiatric residents from several universities and medical centers.
Nursing
The Nursing department at Riverview is comprised of registered nurses, mental health workers, and acuity specialists. Nursing staff work within a multidisciplinary team 24-hours a day to ensure patients are provided individualized treatment interventions with the goal of successful community integration, assisting each patient to accomplish goals through education or training, administration of prescribed medications/treatments, active treatment, and encouraging lifelong skills and habits to stay well.
Social Work
The primary responsibility of the Social Work department at RPC is to ensure continuity of services and care in support of each individual’s unique recovery process as they transition back to their community of choice.
We recognize and promote that each patient has individualized care needs, strengths, challenges, and collaborate with them to create treatment, recovery, and discharge goals. It is the mission of the department to promote a successful and comprehensive discharge of each patient served.
Peer Support
Peer Support Specialists are individuals who have personal experience with mental illness and recovery. Peer Support Specialists know firsthand the struggles of living with mental illness. They are living examples that recovery is possible.
The Peer Support program at Riverview Psychiatric Center is fully integrated with patient care. Peer Support Specialists are with patients every step of their stay at Riverview. They are present at admissions, and a full-time Peer Support Specialist is assigned to each of the four (4) units of the hospital. Peer Support Specialists work weekends and attend treatment team meetings at the patient's request. They also facilitate support groups and wellness and recovery classes. They take the time to build relationships with patients and ensure patients' needs are being met, and their voices are heard.
Psychology
In 2023 Riverview Psychiatric Center was recognized for its state-of-the-art consultation, assessment, and counseling services with a 10-year accreditation as a health service psychology site from the American Psychological Association (APA).
Our Psychology department provides a broad range of assessments in response to specific referral questions posed by the treatment teams throughout the hospital. These include assessments to aid in diagnosis and treatment planning, neuropsychological testing to address more complex diagnostic questions for patients who present with complicated cognitive problems, and capacity evaluations to address patients' ability to make decisions about medical treatment. In addition, the forensic psychologists provide clinical risk assessments for forensic patients transitioning to the community and for forensic patients served in by the Outpatient Services (OPS) team. Unit psychologists provide consultation to treatment teams and develop specialized behavioral plans as needed, including cooperating with other staff on implementing daily or hourly behavioral assessment protocols.
Therapeutic Services
(Therapeutic Recreation, Dietary Services, Chaplaincy and Occupational Therapy)
View our Treatment and Services page for more information about therapeutic groups and activities, and treatment programing.
Dietary services provide nutritious, appetizing, and varied meals contributing to the psychological, emotional, social and cultural needs of our patients. Individual nutrition screening and assessments are completed as an integral part of treatment.
Chaplaincy services provide spiritual care and pastoral counseling, religious services, and education.
Occupational therapy staff provide therapeutic activities and rehabilitative services to help each patient achieve an optimal level of physical, emotional, and psychosocial functioning to promote successful return to satisfying and productive community living. Throughout the continuum of care, they collaborate with patients to encourage development of wellness routines, instill hope for the future, and provide education to support success in meaningful life roles.
Pharmacy Services
Riverview’s Pharmacy is dedicated to providing patient centric pharmaceutical care and clinical services in support of patients receiving psychiatric treatment at the hospital and affiliated sites.
The Pharmacy provides psychopharmacological and general pharmaceutical clinical services, ensures medication safety in all facets of pharmacy operations and medication management, and performs ongoing proactive medication reviews. Pharmacy staff work collaboratively with the hospital’s medical staff to develop policies and procedures that ensure maximum patient benefit and medication safety, as well as formulary management, to ensure cost effective drugs are being utilized.
Outpatient Services
The Riverview Outpatient Services (OPS) team provides outpatient services to Riverview patients adjudicated “Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) due to a mental disease or defect.” Services include psychiatric medication management, nursing, psychotherapy, intensive case management, and peer support.
OPS collaborates with area community providers who support the NCR population in a variety of settings: group homes, supervised apartments, independent landlords, employers, community-based medication providers and therapists, as patients move through the NCR continuum of care.
The OPS team supervises and provides treatment to all NCR patients with court ordered community privileges for the duration of their care under the custody of the Maine DHHS Commissioner.
Medical Records
The purpose of the Medical Records department is to ensure that protected health information is documented accurately and in a timely manner, is readily accessible, and permits prompt retrieval of information. The function is to maintain a complete and accurate medical record for all patients who receive services at the Riverview Psychiatric Center, or who previously received services at the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI).
Quality & Performance Improvement
The purpose of the Quality & Performance Improvement department is to provide a systematic approach to ensure hospital-wide quality standards and performance improvement in patient care. Its function is to improve services through evaluating, monitoring, and analyzing data pertaining to the areas of high risk, high frequency, and high costs. The department encompasses the areas of Clinical Risk Management, Utilization Review, and Hospital-wide Performance Improvement.