In a step forward to remedy a state-wide shortage of inpatient psychiatric care beds, Valley General Hospital, an affiliate of Kirkland-based EvergreenHealth, has announced that it, together with Kirkland-based Fairfax Behavioral Health, received approval from the state to open a 34-bed psychiatric hospital on its campus in Monroe, Wash.
The new psychiatric hospital is part of Valley General’s ongoing commitment to provide Snohomish County with access to high-quality care, and is slated to open in 2015.
“Across the state, many mental health patients are in crisis with very few options for treatment. Our collaboration with Fairfax Behavioral Health is one positive step forward to ease our state’s overburdened mental health system and help ensure that mental health patients seeking treatment for all forms of illness have access to expert care,” said Eric Jensen, CEO of Valley General Hospital.
Under the agreement, Fairfax Behavioral Health will own and operate the psychiatric hospital, providing Snohomish County with improved access to high-quality behavioral health care. The psychiatric hospital will provide services delivered by a multidisciplinary group of qualified professional staff including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, mental health professionals, psychologists, pharmacists and registered recreational therapists.
“This is good news for the residents of east Snohomish County,” said Scott Bond, president and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association. “Behavioral health services are deeply needed across the state. The establishment of a Fairfax hospital on the Valley General campus will help more people get access to high-quality, specialized care. And just as importantly, they’ll be able to get care close to home.”
Inpatient psychiatric hospitalization requires a highly specialized staff, and Fairfax brings a proven track record of effective psychiatric hospital management to the partnership. Fairfax has an 83-year history of service to the Northwest region, and is the largest private provider of inpatient psychiatric services in the state of Washington.
“Our county is in great need of additional psychiatric beds, and we saw an opportunity to bring this essential service to the region by partnering with Fairfax. Together, we are working diligently to provide this underserved population with greater access to specialized care, right in our community,” said Jensen.
The psychiatric hospital will be located in Valley General Hospital’s F Wing and will treat older adult patients on both a voluntary and involuntary basis. The F Wing previously housed Valley General’s geriatric psychiatric inpatient unit, which closed in 2011.
The agreement allows Fairfax to lease a portion of Valley General’s Monroe campus for up to 20 years. Both organizations will remain independent, and Fairfax will be the sole-operator of the psychiatric hospital for the duration of the lease.
For more information about Fairfax Behavioral Health, visit www.fairfaxhospital.com; visit www.valleygeneral.com for more information about Valley General Hospital.
