Well, I see it both ways: $1500 is a lot of money.

It's less than $100 per month since your trauma began.

I guess it depends on how bad things are for you, and whether you can find any alternatives that would be more beneficial to you. If you could find a good partial hospitalization program that would work for you, then the hospital would probably be overkill. On the other hand, what would you do if you bypassed the hospital, moved on to Austin, and found yourself continuing in the same state for the next 18 months? Either way, there's a big risk.

Before you make up your mind, though, look into what alternatives are available to you, either where you are, or where you plan to go. If there are alternatives, great. If not, consider investing the money in your future.

Meanwhile, about looking for alternatives:

Check with the local chapter of the National Alliance of the Mentally Ill -- NAMI. You can also find them online. They should have a list of programs available in your area, and support groups, as well.

Another thought for you, since you're job hunting, is to check with the local EDD office -- some of their job hunting groups function very much like a partial hospitalization program. You'll spend part of the day in 'classes' where you can practice interview skills, work on your resume, learn about 'hidden' job markets, etc, and you have access to a lot of reasonably good resources.

Check out non-profit organizations in your area, many areas have programs that help with both the actual job hunt and groups that discuss how to cope with unemployment. That can be like group therapy.

And call the hospital and ask if they know of anyplace that might sponsor your admission, or offer a scholarship. Some places have such things, for those without insurance coverage.

Best luck to you. I hope that helps some.