Community meetings on a military inpatient psychiatric unit: A question ofbalance

Community meetings are a mainstay of any inpatient psychiatric unit. Althou gh they differ in frequency, attendance, leadership, and size, they all mai ntain a similar purpose of acculturating the members to the values of the w ard and encouraging responsible behavior and effective communication. The m ilitary inpatient psychiatric unit is no different, although it does have s everal unique factors that affect the management of the community meeting. Specifically, these factors are the inherent military rank structure, which often conflicts with the rank of staff and other patients, the incorporati on of a civilian population into a military culture, and a greater focus on patient transitions from military to civilian society. We describe and dis cuss the common variables of community meetings, elucidate how the military aspects affect the meeting, and offer potential suggestions for the manage ment of this unique large dynamic group.