Riverside Health System (RHS) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony today for Virginia’s first stand-alone Psychiatric Emergency Department (ED), set to open this fall. More than 200 people — including Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other dignitaries, leaders, and mental health and substance-use advocates and providers — joined Riverside for the dedication of this facility.
“Over the years, we have seen the growing demand for a specialized care facility for patients in urgent need of mental health or substance-use care and, as a result, broke ground on the new Psychiatric ED in 2022,” says Mike Dacey, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer for Riverside. “This new facility will provide patients with a unique, patient-focused, calming environment in which they can begin their healing.”
The new Psychiatric ED is connected to Riverside Mental Health & Recovery Center (RMHRC) on Executive Drive in Hampton, Virginia. The 15,800-square-foot facility is specifically designed to care for patients 5 and older who are struggling with mental health concerns and substance use. Separate treatment areas for adults and pediatrics include a total of 20 treatment areas, open community areas, sensory rooms and secure outdoor areas designed for de-escalation, and on-site lab services. The facility will be open 24 hours, seven days a week, and will be staffed with mental health professionals equipped to employ the best techniques available to serve and care for patients.
“This unique facility is designed to better meet the needs of our surrounding communities and help close the gap for urgent mental health and substance-use health care services,” says Stacey Johnson, President of RMHRC. “Our Psychiatric ED will provide an alternative to the typical medical emergency room, providing patients with a tailored treatment environment to begin their journey to healing and recovery. Once patients are accessed by our providers, they will be directed to the appropriate level of care, which could range from inpatient admission to general outpatient services.”
After roughly 16 months of construction, the project is nearing its completion and RMHRC is looking forward to opening the Psychiatric ED to the community later this fall.
Additionally, RMHRC offers Adult inpatient services, an adolescent inpatient treatment unit, inpatient detoxification services. RMHRC also offers Day treatment programs for substance use and mental health. To learn more about RMHRC, please call 757-827-1001 or visit riversideonline.com/rmhrc.