Funded through a $3 million state grant, the expansion of the inpatient unit includes the addition of two licensed psychiatric beds to increase access to critical inpatient mental health care for approximately 100 more patients a year, while keeping those patients close to home.
Mikaela Andrea, Director of Behavioral Health Services, says a 2023 Assessment of Community Health Needs identified mental health as a top issue in Ottawa County.
“The reports from area adults were alarming. The instance of psychological distress currently is higher than we’ve ever had recorded by way of this study in the past.”
Which follows the national trend. Andrea says there’s simply a higher need for inpatient psychiatric care than resources to provide it and patients in crisis can’t get treated in a timely fashion.
“What ends up happening sometimes is they get stuck in emergency departments with long waits until they’re able to enter their specific level of treatment. We see that here at Holland Hospital and we know that’s happening in other emergency departments in the area as well.”
As the primary inpatient psychiatric resource for both Ottawa and Allegan counties, Holland Hospital Behavioral Health Services also offers a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient program, psychiatry, therapy, psychological testing, and behavioral health services.
To learn more about Holland Hospital Behavioral Health, visit hollandhospital.org/behavioral-health.
