(Chelsea Update would like to thank Bobby Maldonado for the information in this story.)
St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea recently launched a multi-million dollar renovation of its Behavioral Health Services Inpatient Unit, which will nearly double its current size from 9,000 to 15,000 square feet.
The renovation will include a modern design and more efficient use of space while adding to the comfort and care of patients. The unit will house a state-of-the-art music therapy room, exercise activity room, family lounge and new unit entrance. Phase one of the 4-phase renovation plan is expected to be completed in August.
“With this announcement, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea will ensure that future generations have the facilities and resources to address behavioral health needs in our community,” said Nancy Graebner, president and CEO of St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. “This investment will improve the overall patient experience and will allow us to continue to provide personal, thoughtful care that addresses our patient’s physical, psychological and social well-being.”
The new facilities are being redesigned on top of the unit’s existing footprint. The first phase of construction has been financed through a combination of master campus facility funds, hospital capital dollars and a significant philanthropy effort. A substantial portion of money was raised from the hospital’s annual spring auction, a fundraiser which has benefited Behavioral Health Services the past three years. The renovated Behavioral Health Services unit is another step in the hospital’s master campus redevelopment plan, which has included construction of the new Atrium Building (inpatient facilities) and a new Cancer Center.
The renovated unit will continue to offer two levels of adult inpatient psychiatric care. This includes a secure North Hall, for patients who require a safe, structured environment and more support or supervision, and Center Hall, an open hall for patients who require twenty-four-hour-a-day support, however, are less acute. St. Joe’s Chelsea is the only hospital in Michigan with both a secured unit and an open unit on its Behavioral Health Services Inpatient Unit.
“Many people avoid hospitalization for mental illness due to fears about their freedom of movement or visitation restrictions,” says Etienne Dehoorne, MD, medical director of Psychiatry at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. “In this way, our hospital is unique. Many of our patients who voluntarily seek mental health treatment do so in our open unit. Regardless of which unit a patient is in, our staff empowers everyone with respect and a sense of self-responsibility.”
From the moment a patient is admitted to St. Joe’s Chelsea, they are told that they are capable, not helpless, and staff works with them as a team toward managing health and functionality issues, while aiding in their recovery and healing.
At any given time, about one in five American adults is experiencing a mental health disorder that can compromise their physical, emotional, social and psychological functioning. Symptoms of a mental health disorder may include extended periods of feeling sad or feeling angry, crying, losing interest in things you care about, having suicidal thoughts or thoughts you may hurt others, and having a hard time dealing with normal life stressors.
For more information about the St. Joe’s Chelsea Behavioral Health Services Department or questions about admission to its inpatient unit, please contact the hospital’s Behavioral Health Assessment Services line at 1-800-328-6261.
