Montefiore Health System has been designated as a New York State Office of Mental Health Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and awarded a $7 million grant as part of this program.
Montefiore was selected to receive the designation and associated funds by Fidelis Care, Healthfirst and MetroPlusHealth for its ability to address gaps in the New York City behavioral health system. Plans for the funding include enhancements to the existing adult psychiatric observation suite at Montefiore’s Henry & Lucy Moses Division Emergency Department with up to six extended-observation beds, allowing for specialized care for up to 72-hours. Additional planned services at the new Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program include case management, arts therapy and a mobile crisis team.
With this funding, Montefiore also plans to open an intensive partial hospitalization program for adults (ages 18 and up), a new child outpatient psychiatry clinic in the South Bronx and pilot new models of care, where people who have had firsthand experiences with mental health conditions will provide support as patients transition to community settings.
“Emergency visits for mental health and substance misuse have been on the rise for more than a decade, and in the Bronx we have the highest rates of psychiatric hospitalizations and serious psychological distress in New York City,” said Salimah Velji, unified executive administrator in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “By introducing new services like partial hospitalization programs, we can ensure each person is cared for in the most appropriate setting and help to reduce wait times for all levels of treatment.”
Photo by Hugo L. González / Wikimedia Commons
