Lincoln Hospital Gets $5.5 Million to Expand Mental Health Services
Project will double inpatient psych capacity and provide care close to home.
Sep 29, 2010
HHC’s Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center has been awarded $5.5 million in state funds to almost double psychiatric inpatient capacity and enhance its mental health services to meet increasing demand, driven at least in part by recent hospital closings.
The project at the Bronx hospital will add 27 new inpatient beds to the current 33 to create two separate 30-bed units. The expansion is expected to reduce crowding in the Emergency Department and the Psychiatric Emergency Department by providing patients more timely access to inpatient hospital beds.
The $5.5 million grant to Lincoln Hospital is among the latest in a series of newly-funded projects awarded to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) through the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers (HEAL NY) and the Federal-State Health Reform Partnership (F-SHRP). The New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) will jointly administer the funding in conjunction with the State Office of Mental Health.
“The public hospital system is an essential safety net as a provider not only of physical health care, but also mental health care,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles. “In this time of hospital closings and diminished resources, this grant will help HHC continue to meet its commitment to provide high-quality care to all New Yorkers, regardless of their ability to pay.”
The state grant will help Lincoln Hospital significantly expand behavioral health services and address the growing needs of the local communities. In fiscal year 2010, the hospital’s psychiatric inpatient unit treated 595 patients and the Emergency Room had 6,429 psychiatric patient visits. In addition, Lincoln Hospital has three behavioral health outpatient clinics. The adult clinic has 15,000 visits annually; the child and adolescent clinic for patients ages 5 to 18 has 12,000 visits annually; and the substance abuse clinic, the Recovery Center, has 27,000 visits a year.
“Lincoln Hospital is committed to providing comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment to our patients in a safe and modern environment,” said Dr. Amy Hoffman, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry. “The expanded inpatient unit will help us provide the communities we serve with increased inpatient mental health services close to home, so family members can participate in treatment, an element that is critical to successful outcomes.”
The new unit will also adopt a number of innovative strategies to strengthen the patient-centered approach to care. A consumer council will be formed, made up of current and former patients who will advise providers about care. The hospital unit will be able to expand its staff of peer counselors – former patients now working as advocates for mentally ill patients. At present the program has one peer counselor.
Lincoln was one of 19 hospitals and clinics across New York State awarded grants totaling $38.5 million to improve the coordination and delivery of inpatient and outpatient mental health services. All 19 projects are expected to begin in October 2010.
“Quality health care must address the needs of the whole person, and New York State is making investments in our health care system to accomplish this goal and benefit patients,” said State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D. “These awards will upgrade and modernize New York’s mental health infrastructure to provide better and more efficient health care for all individuals seeking treatment.”
Contact : Ian Michaels (HHC) (212) 788-3339
About HHC
The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlusHealth, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission’s John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nychhc.org/hhc or find us on facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or twitter.com/NYCHealthSystem.