New Space Opens in Pediatric ER to Care for Patients with Behavioral Health Conditions
A new space designed specifically for behavioral health patients has opened in the Massry Family Children’s Emergency Center. This creates a safe and comfortable place for patients who are seen in the pediatric emergency room and are waiting for psychiatric evaluation and inpatient placement in the region.
“We are really excited to open this new space, and we’re hopeful this will be a more patient-centered way to offer care to children and teens having a mental health crisis,” said Carrie Danziger, MD, division chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.
Named “The Cove,” this area is secure and separate from the main pediatric emergency department. It has five private rooms with specific safety measures to prevent patients from harming themselves or others; the furniture is secured to the floor, the TV is behind thick plexiglass, the walls and ceilings are built with stronger materials that are difficult to punch through, and the rooms have no ligature points. Each room has a camera so the health care team can monitor the patient from the nurse’s station, and the cameras can be turned off when privacy is needed. The space also has a common area for patients and families. The Albany Medical Center Facilities team renovated the existing space to add these special safety features.
“This is a safe, calm, and private space for our patients,” said Nicole Friedman, RN, nurse manager in the pediatric emergency department. “For a child who needs less stimulation, putting them in a busy emergency department can be overwhelming, and sometimes patients could be waiting for inpatient placement for a while.”
Friedman says within the past few years, the pediatric emergency department has seen an increase in patients with behavioral health issues.
“Since Covid, we have seen an uptick in our behavioral health population. We also see an increase when school starts,” said Friedman. “We see patients with depression, anxiety, and other mental health diagnoses. We’ll also use The Cove for patients with autism who have violent tendencies.”
The creation of The Cove coincides with work the child life specialists are doing to create a more play-friendly environment for behavioral health patients. The child life team received a $15,000 grant from The Toy Foundation to purchase safe and appropriate toys, games, crafts, and other items. The toy closet is in the Cove, making it easy for the health care team to find appropriate toys for patients who are in this new space.
“We are incredibly thankful to The Toy Foundation, because this grant allows us to buy a wider variety of toys and items that are safe for our patients,” said Lindsay Burnop, a child life specialist in the pediatric emergency department. “These toys meet developmental needs, help calm patients down, and offer distraction during stressful experiences.”
