Anna entered Napa State Hospital with trepidation, still hoping that someday she might not have to live in such places. The institution was achingly similar to all the public psychiatric facilities Anna had been locked into over the years. Though there were as always some decent and caring staff, attitudes of disrespect and denigration towards patients were frequently tolerated. On one occasion Anna's mother was using a phone in the nursing station. Obviously mistaking her for a hospital employee, the nurse in charge of dispensing medications announced to all present in the room, "Its time to line up the idiots..." On another occasion Anna filed a complaint of abuse by two night shift* staff, describing how she was called "bitch", stripped in front of a male staff member, and locked in seclusion all night for wanting to listen to her walkman. A meeting was held with Anna and her mother assuring them that such an incident should not have happened and would not occur again. It is unknown if staff was disciplined. As always, there were those who liked Anna and helped her in every way they could. Few, however, expressed belief that she would ever live outside the locked wards of psychiatric institutions. This prevailing lack of hope was expressed by her treatment team psychologist. After Anna's mother had met with the team requesting that someone be found to work with Anna who could understand and help her with her trauma, the psychologist asked her, "Mrs. Jennings, how do you feel about the possibility that Anna may never get better?"

*Night shift is from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.