WellSpan Health Invests More Than $30 Million Into Behavioral
Health Services Responding to Increase in Mental Health Needs
Expansion of services and facilities highlight commitment
to South Central Pennsylvania communities
YORK,
PA (September 29, 2022) – Continuing to act on its mission to support comprehensive behavioral health services across South Central Pennsylvania, WellSpan Health announces two projects that will expand access to patients seeking this essential care. WellSpan Philhaven teams across the region annually serve 64,000 patients with behavioral health needs across WellSpan’s six counties. In order to meet the growing demand for services, more than $30 million will be invested at both the WellSpan Philhaven campus in Mt. Gretna and the WellSpan York Hospital campus in York as part of this effort.
“As a trusted partner in our communities, expanding access to this care underscores our promise to address the challenges facing so many of our neighbors,” said Mantha Kotsalos, interim president for WellSpan Philhaven. “It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with a nationwide shortage of health care professionals has created a mental health crisis, but it is one we will face head on with the resources of one of the largest behavioral health programs in the country.”
One
in five adults experience a mental illness, yet fewer than half of those with
a mental health condition receive treatment, according to the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration. Locally, WellSpan Health has
seen a 30 percent increase in behavioral health patients this year compared
to the same timeframe in 2021.
Often
patients in need of behavioral health services turn to emergency departments
for care. Over the past three years, WellSpan has had a 100 percent increase
in behavioral health visits at its emergency departments.
To address these increases, WellSpan Health has launched several initiatives to address rising behavioral health needs across south central Pennsylvania, including innovative programs, community partnerships, and renovation projects. Renovations at WellSpan Philhaven involve expanding the adult inpatient unit and relocating some outpatient offices at the campus. The expansion project is expected to be complete early next year and expand capacity at the hospital by 24 inpatient beds. WellSpan Philhaven is South Central Pennsylvania’s most comprehensive behavioral health organization with more than 50 programs offered at 27 care locations.
WellSpan York Hospital’s behavioral health unit also will undergo an innovative transformation as part of the WellSpan York Hospital Expansion project. This new area will provide care teams and patients with a modernized, state-of-the-art environment. The unit will offer acute, medical, sub-acute and step-down pods, dedicated serenity spaces and seclusion spaces, as well as private and group therapy spaces.
Right
Care at the Right Place
Addressing
mental health concerns often requires care at the right place.
WellSpan Health’s innovative START
Clinic in York has helped more than 1,500 people since opening its doors
in 2021, often offering same day appointments for care to patients that
otherwise may end in the emergency department.
WellSpan
START (Specialized Treatment and Recovery Team) provides a truly integrated
care experience for patients with urgent mental health and addiction needs
that offers them the resources and services they need in an appropriate
setting, reducing trips to the emergency department.
A
diverse team of clinicians at the one-stop clinic works in close partnership
with the Community Action for Recovery & Diversion project to get
patients the care they need in an appropriate setting.
“Of the 8,500 visits at START over the past two years, 1,900 were at times and during situations where the Emergency Department would have been utilized previously. Providing the right care in the right place at the right time leads to better outcomes for patients, and it provides a better patient experience. We are able to make connections and help our community members get on the road to recovery more quickly,” said Dr. Mitchell Crawford, medical director of the START Clinic and director of Addiction Services for WellSpan Health.
WellSpan
also is expanding its addiction medicine programs to address a sharp increase
in demand. In the past three years, more than 2,000 patients have been
treated for opioid-abuse and these programs offer patients the care and
support they need with many seeing meaningful improvements due to the ways in
which the program surrounds the patient with needed support.
In Franklin County, WellSpan’s recovery specialists and WellSpan Medication-assisted Treatment (MAT) clinics work with the Single County Authority to support individuals in the community with substance use disorders. This summer, WellSpan’s recovery specialists and the Behavioral Health practice in Chambersburg began providing MAT to individuals with opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health needs.
In addition
to the START Clinic, WellSpan has added behavioral health consultants in
emergency departments to help patients receive care more efficiently. This
has improved the time to connect patients with behavioral health programs and
more quickly get them the care needed. This service recently expanded to add
behavioral health consultants at WellSpan hospitals in Gettysburg,
Chambersburg and Waynesboro.
Other
community partnerships also are working to get patients the help they need
before they arrive at the emergency department. WellSpan has partnered with
the York City Police Department to have crisis workers assist with responding
to calls for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Additionally,
we have partnered with Keystone Health to provide crisis intervention
services in Chambersburg and Waynesboro.
The
growing demand for behavioral health services also is increasing among
children and WellSpan has made dedicated efforts to address needs of younger
patients. For example, more than 100 patients utilizing the START Clinic have
been children and adolescents.
WellSpan’s community based intensive behavioral health services for children (IBHS) serves younger patients with a mental health diagnosis who need additional support and skill building to be successful in the home, school and community settings. IBHS provides individual services, including mobile therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), to more than a dozen different schools in York County.
Additionally,
WellSpan offers family-based services for children and their families in
schools, social and emotional groups, ABA social skills groups, and ABA
transition age groups. We continue to expand additional services and
partnerships with school districts, including therapists in schools, mobile
crisis co-responders, and telephone crisis support for guidance counselors.
These various programs are providing behavioral health services to hundreds
of children and WellSpan continues to add therapists and counselors to expand
these programs and make them available to more school districts.
Addressing
Staffing Challenges
WellSpan
Health has added behavioral health professionals to meet the rising needs of
our community. However, our system continues to address healthcare staffing
challenges, especially in terms of behavioral health. Earlier this year,
WellSpan partnered with the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to highlight
an initiative that would help some addiction professionals repay their
student loans with a commitment to continue working in this important field
here in Pennsylvania. $10M was made available to qualified individuals.
WellSpan
Health will continue to respond to this mental health crisis through
innovative programs such as the START Clinic, behavioral health consultants
in emergency departments, crisis worker partnerships with police departments,
and expanded access, but we know that more needs to be done. Our commitment
is to support healthy communities. To learn more, visit https://www.wellspanphilhaven.org.
About WellSpan Health
WellSpan Health’s vision is to reimagine healthcare through the delivery of comprehensive, equitable health and wellness solutions throughout our continuum of care. As an integrated delivery system focused on leading in value-based care, we encompass nearly 1,900 employed providers, 220 locations, eight award-winning hospitals, home care and a behavioral health organization serving South Central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. With a team 20,000 strong, WellSpan experts provide a range of services, from wellness and employer services solutions to advanced care for complex medical and behavioral conditions. Our clinically integrated network of 2,600 aligned physicians and advanced practice providers is dedicated to providing the highest quality and safety, inspiring our patients and communities to be their healthiest. For more information, visit www.wellspan.org.
|
