Dive Brief:
-
Easton Hospital is set to open a 16-bed behavioral health unit for older adults next month in response to the December closure of the behavioral health unit at St. Luke's Hospital-Phillipsburg.
- The secure unit will serve non-criminal patients, and will "prefer" voluntary commitments but also accept involuntary commitments.
- The pricetag for the new unit is said to be $4 million.
Dive Insight:
The unit is expected to fill a major gap in behavioral health services in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
The region took a hit when the former unit at St. Luke's Hospital-Phillipsburg stopped taking new patients in December without notice, leaving Easton Hospital to manage mentally-ill patients in its emergency department.
Easton's new unit will provide patients with a combined medical assessment and psychiatric evaluation, as well as therapies, education and support.