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b o d y a n d m i n d Mental health services expand with new medical-psychiatric unit and special area in emergency department
HKD recently made two big steps toward its goal of improving access to the most needed mental health services for our region’s children – opening a new medical-psychiatric inpatient unit and a new section of the emergency department specifically to meet the needs of patients with mental health concerns. The medical-psychiatric unit, located in the main hospital, is designed to provide inpatient care for young people who need both medical treatment and mental health services. For instance, a child with an eating disorder may need medical intervention to treat poor nutrition along with mental health care to target the psychological aspects of the illness. A patient who has overdosed on medication will need to be physically stabilized and provided emotional support to address what led them to be admitted. The unit is made up of seven private rooms designed to provide a safe environment, even when patients may be struggling with urges to harm themselves. A multipurpose area provides space for therapeutic group activities. Another room provides a place where patients can use sensory stimuli like music or the feeling of special textured surfaces to help manage their emotions. “It’s a setting where mental health care is integrated into everyday medical interventions,” says Rachel Andam-Mejia, MSN, RN, nursing director of the new unit. “There is downtime during inpatient medical treatment when the child is recovering in bed, and we’re now able to use that WRITTEN BY Elizabeth Earley • PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ken Mountain
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Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters