Sexuality Policy in Long Term Care: An Innovative Approach with the Chronically Mentally Ill and Dual Diagnosed

This presentation offers an overview of a unique sexuality policy for inpatient chronically ill and dual diagnosed patients. The policy allows patients to express their sexuality consensually, either with each other or with visitors. STD prevention is an explicit component of the program. Previously, all sexual interactions were prohibited. We will describe the details of the policy and its development.

We will also discuss the controversies and difficulties of implementing the policy. Covert biases regarding the sexuality of the chronically mentally ill or dual diagnosed patients were elicited and unspoken fears regarding liability for patient's sexual choices were discussed. Even staff with years of experience working with this population demonstrated significant anxieties and misconceptions regarding an area of patients' lives that they have previously ignored. The effects of the policy on the patients' well being will also be discussed.