About This Location
For crisis or mental health emergencies, please go to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room located at 1701 Oak Park Blvd. Dial 911 for emergencies or 988 for the national suicide prevention or mental health hotline.
Lake Charles Memorial Health System is leading the way in our community with a modern, advanced 42-bed behavioral health hospital in southwest Louisiana - Archer Institute. Archer Institute was named in honor of Dr. Dale Archer, psychiatrist and mental health leader in southwest Louisiana.
Behavioral health is a term applied to a person’s emotional and mental wellbeing, often interchangeable with “mental health”. Behavioral health encompasses a wide range of care including treatment and prevention of depression, anxiety disorder, personality disorders, substance abuse, addiction, and age-related physiological disabilities.
Memorial Archer Institute is a behavioral health hospital for adolescents and adults experiencing mental health issues. The 32,000 square-foot facility has separate and dedicated adult and adolescent units, ensuring age-appropriate care and environments throughout the patient’s stay.
Oftentimes, people seek treatment for behavioral health conditions only once they feel they’ve become an emergency issue – meaning these patients often end up in emergency rooms. While Memorial’s Emergency Room is a resource for mental health emergencies, Archer Institute opened to address the growing demand for comprehensive treatment for mental health and substance abuse that goes beyond a single emergency room visit.
The team at Archer is comprised of board-certified psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, social workers, case managers, activity therapists, dietitians and occupational therapists – all specialists in behavioral health.
Inpatient care requires patients to remain at the facility for round-the-clock treatment. The goal of inpatient care is to promote the highest level of independence and competence for everyone. The specialized staff ensure that all the patient’s needs are met, and provide care for those with conditions such as:
- Mood disorders
- Psychotic disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Disruptive behaviors
- Substance detoxification
- Severe depression
- Posing a danger to themselves or others
- Dual diagnosis (mental illness and addiction)
- Suicidal
- Homicidal
- Schizophrenia
- Sudden onset of confusion
- Medication mismanagement
- Hearing voices
Inpatient treatment usually lasts for an average of five to seven days, and may include:
- Individual therapy sessions
- Group therapy sessions
- Family Conferences
- Education groups to learn effective social and coping skills
- Relaxation/group feedback for stress management and education
- Therapeutic activity to learn appropriate leisure skills
- Spiritual activity based on patient’s religious beliefs
Archer Institute is located in south Lake Charles on Nelson Road. The hospital is directly north of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women. To access the hospital, you must turn into the main entrance off Nelson Road. The parking lot is located directly in front of the building.
Visiting hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 to 5:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
Hours are subject to change. Please contact your physician’s office for confirmation.
Related Locations and Services
In addition, Memorial Behavioral Health Clinic offers a wide range of outpatient services and treatment, including but not limited to, depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, marriage/family counseling, panic disorders, sleeping disorders, ADHS and grief counseling.
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital offers a dedicated Geropsychiatric Unit committed to the treatment of adults, 55 years of age and older experiencing mental health crisis. Including short-term intensive treatment for psychiatric disorders, cognitive impairment, and age-related physiological disorders with a goal of crisis stabilization and a comprehensive discharge plan focused on a less restrictive level of care.
Moss Memorial intensive Outpatient Clinic offers outpatient mental health treatment for older adults to help prevent psychiatric decline, avoiding inpatient hospitalization and reducing symptom re-occurrence. Services include evaluation, medication management, group, family, and individual therapy.
