New Unit Supports Children in Acute Mental Health Crises
Children and teens experiencing acute mental health crises have a safe and healing space to recover in the newly opened Children and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at 91大神 Children鈥檚 Hospital (UMCH). The 16-bed, state-of-the-art unit is the first in the state designed both architecturally and clinically to deliver 鈥渢rauma-informed鈥� care to children from 5 to 17 years old. Trauma-informed care is a framework for treating patients who have endured abuse, neglect, violence, school issues, and other traumatic events 鈥� which not all but many young patients have experienced.
A virtual 鈥済rand opening鈥� of the new unit can be viewed on the .
鈥淭he new unit is designed to provide crisis stabilization, respite, and recovery for our most vulnerable patients 鈥� children and adolescents 鈥� and to instill hope that life will get better,鈥� said Sarah Edwards, DO, director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UMMC and assistant professor of psychiatry at the 91大神 School of Medicine (UMSOM).
The need for mental health care among youth has become an urgent national issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children鈥檚 mental health-related emergency department visits significantly in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, compared to 2019. A of over 1.5 million people by Mental Health America uncovered alarming statistics about youth suicide ideation during the pandemic.
These rates were highest among youth, according to the report, which found that in September 2020, over half of 11- to 17-year-olds reported having thoughts of suicide or self-harm more than half or nearly every day of the previous two weeks. From January to September 2020, 77,470 youth reported experiencing frequent suicidal ideation, including 27,980 LGBTQ+ youth.
Prior to these findings, the CDC published that almost 19 percent of high school students who responded to the agency鈥檚 2019 indicated they had seriously considered suicide
Designed to Heal
Patients in crisis will be able to receive psychiatric care for a range of conditions including:
- Trauma disorder (PTSD, acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder)
- Psychotic spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, substance-induced psychotic disorder)
- Mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder)
- Anxiety disorders (phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder)
- Co-morbid neurodevelopmental disorders (high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, mild intellectual disability)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
No matter the patient鈥檚 condition, every intervention at the new unit is designed to not traumatize the child again. Whether participating in a group therapy session, resting in their rooms, or tucked into a 鈥渃hill alcove鈥� gazing at a nature wall mural designed by local artist , patients are in an environment where they can manage intense emotions and unsafe urges while learning adaptive behaviors and coping skills.
Architectural elements in the new unit feature soothing colors and nature themes, curved walls, and lighting to mirror a child鈥檚 circadian rhythm to promote restful sleep at night and optimal energy during the day for therapy and other activities. Wherever possible, patients are given the choices and control so often robbed from them in trauma-filled lives.
For example, by adjusting a switch on the wall, patients can choose from different sounds to play in their room such as running water, nature sounds, or music. Architecture and design for the new unit were provided by the Baltimore firm Inquiry.
The new unit is staffed to provide multidisciplinary expertise in every facet of treatment and recovery. To maximize staff and patient interaction, the unit is designed with 鈥渙n stage鈥� and 鈥渙ff stage鈥� areas, so that patient care is the focus in treatment areas, while other work like documentation, phone calls, and team conversations happen 鈥渙ff stage.鈥�
Post-discharge, school transition specialists work to help connect patients and their families to vital services and peer support. This is part of a longstanding program at UMCH that has proved to actually reduce readmissions.
鈥淭he new Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit at 91大神 Children鈥檚 Hospital Children is an essential component of the continuum of care we offer to youth experiencing mental distress. They are not alone in their struggle; we are here to help them recover and thrive, whether they need crisis stabilization at our new inpatient unit or ongoing counseling at our outpatient psychiatry clinics,鈥� stated Jill RachBeisel, MD, chief of psychiatry, UMMC, and professor and chair, Department of Psychiatry, UMSOM.
Steven J. Czinn, MD, director of UMCH and the Drs. Rouben and Violet Jiji Endowed Professor and chair, Department of Pediatrics, UMSOM, stated, 鈥淭he thought and design that have gone into creating the inpatient psychiatric unit exemplifies our commitment to the whole health of children 鈥� mental, emotional, and physical.鈥�
Senior leaders at UMSOM and UMMC also offered congratulations to the teams behind the new unit.
E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, executive vice president for medical affairs, 91大神, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and dean, UMSOM, said, 鈥淭he attention given to every detail of the new Children and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit is exceptional 鈥� from the design to staffing to implementation of an evidence-based recovery model of care. We expect that the unit will quickly make a meaningful improvement on the mental health and well-being of Baltimore and Maryland youth.鈥�
Bert W. O鈥橫alley, MD, president and CEO of UMMC, where UMCH is located, concluded, 鈥淒r. Edwards and the psychiatric teams have worked tirelessly to bring this outstanding new addition to our children鈥檚 hospital. Their dedication underscores our mission to be the children鈥檚 hospital of choice throughout Maryland, offering a place of healing and hope for all of our young patients.鈥�
