VHC Well being might break floor on a brand new psychological well being and rehabilitation facility at its outdated pressing care facility on S. Carlin Springs Highway as quickly as this 12 months.
Arlington County and VHC Well being — the brand new title of Virginia Hospital Heart — introduced a joint settlement this afternoon to develop behavioral well being and rehab providers via the proposed undertaking at 610 S. Carlin Springs Highway.
The brand new facility would have 72 beds devoted to psychological well being and substance use restoration. This consists of a 24-bed grownup unit, a 24-bed youth unit, a 24-bed “restoration and wellness unit” and 5 outpatient packages, based on a county announcement.
It’ll have 40 beds put aside for individuals with mind and spinal twine accidents, these recovering from strokes and people with neurological and different circumstances. At the moment, the principle VHC campus has 20 beds for sufferers with these wants.
“We’re grateful for our continued partnership with VHC Well being in growing amenities to fulfill the healthcare wants of the Arlington neighborhood,” County Board Chair Christian Dorsey stated in an announcement. “With the rising demand, psychological well being providers proceed to be a precedence. We stay dedicated to increasing capability and providing providers and help for people experiencing behavioral well being challenges and their households.”
The chair of the VHC Well being Board of Administrators, Dr. Russell E. McWey, stated this enlargement of psychological well being providers “has been a long-time precedence for the Board and for VHC Well being.”
“The Board is happy to proceed serving our neighborhood and to champion this facility and advocate for individuals who are in want in and round Arlington County,” he stated in his assertion.
The brand new S. Carlin Springs Highway facility will home 5 packages: intensive outpatient packages for adults and kids, a restoration and wellness intensive outpatient program, an grownup partial hospitalization program and an outpatient behavioral well being clinic.
VHC had initially supposed so as to add a behavioral well being unit to its predominant campus enlargement, Deborah Warren, the manager director of the Arlington Neighborhood Companies Board and the DHS Deputy Director, advised ARLnow. Now, per the announcement, the hospital will as an alternative construct a 14-bed geriatric behavioral well being unit.
The enlargement comes as Arlington, Northern Virginia and Commonwealth as a complete are seeing two tendencies: deepening psychological well being wants and higher competitors for restricted healthcare sources.
Advocates have known as the present state of psychological well being care in Virginia a disaster, one prompted by the state’s determination in 2021 to shut most state psychiatric hospitals, which had been understaffed as a consequence of low wages, hazardous working circumstances and Covid.
The closures created a bottleneck at remaining amenities and compelled non-public hospitals, together with Virginia Hospital Heart, to soak up extra sufferers. Generally, sufferers are delivered to the hospital by legislation enforcement, and till they’re able to be handled, are left to attend within the emergency room — handcuffed to a gurney underneath the watch of a legislation enforcement officer. This example has contributed to burnout for county social staff and cops.
In response, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin introduced late final 12 months the formation of a activity power to provide you with methods to take away legislation enforcement from this course of and guarantee individuals get the assistance they want. VHC Well being CEO and President Chris Lane lauded this transfer in at this time’s assertion.
“VHC Well being applauds the Governor and the Basic Meeting for his or her dedication to addressing Virginia’s behavioral well being disaster and this three way partnership will contribute to the Commonwealth’s goal of treating behavioral wellness,” Lane stated.
The VHC undertaking additionally has the help of native lawmakers, per the announcement.
“Bettering entry to community-based psychological well being care is a urgent want in each jurisdiction within the Commonwealth. I’m proud to see my native hospital, VHC Well being, responding to this want in such a patient-centered manner. The VHC behavioral well being facility will help sufferers on their journey to wellness,” Virginia Sen. Barbara Favola stated.
Del. Patrick Hope stated he’s proud “to assist facilitate new initiatives throughout the state to fulfill neighborhood members the place they’re for his or her healthcare wants.”
After a proper plan is filed, someday this spring, the undertaking will wend its manner via common county processes, ending with approval from the Arlington County Board to come back later this 12 months. VHC Well being plans on breaking floor on its new facility in late 2023 or early 2024 and expects development to be full by late 2025.
Arlington County acquired the outdated VHC Pressing Care in a land swap with the hospital and has sat vacant for the reason that acquisition. VHC obtained county-owned land at N. Edison Road for its enlargement undertaking, inside work on which is ongoing till this December.
The Arlington County Board accepted demolition of the S. Carlin Springs Highway web site final fall however didn’t sign it had plans for the positioning on the time. VHC will now be rebuying some 5.8 acres of the property. The county will retain the remaining land for future public makes use of suitable with the power.
