Psychiatric Pavillion to Ease Pressure on Eastern State

By Amber Lester Monday, August 16, 2010

For nearly 20 years, Williamsburg Place has treated people struggling with addiction. In that time, many were also diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, but the center did not have a dedicated space to treat psychiatric cases. That will change in late 2011.

Diamond Healthcare Corporation, owner of Williamsburg Place and the William J. Farley Center, broke ground in July on its Psychiatric Pavilion. The 57-bed facility will treat older adults and impaired professionals with acute psychiatric illness, and create 40 to 50 new jobs in James City County.

Director of Business Development Gina Thorne said that over the years, some patients have received dual-diagnoses of chemical dependency plus a psychiatric issue, such as bipolar disorder or depression. The Psychiatric Pavilion, however, will treat strictly acute psychiatric issues for adults in the region, with an emphasis on crisis stabilization. The private facility will treat insured patients, including those with Medicaid.

The Pavilion was originally meant to offer 40 beds, but the state approved a Certificate of Public Need for an additional 17 beds. Diamond Healthcare Corporation President George K. White said increasing the number of beds will help ease the “already stressed services offered by local community services boards.”

The construction of the facility comes at a time when Eastern State Mental Hospital is downsizing its available beds as part of the state’s effort to transition from less institutionalized care to community-based care. Meanwhile, the hospital has been asked to accept more patients with criminal backgrounds, and the region’s community services boards have stressed that the hospital could soon have more forensic cases than civil cases.

The hospital’s deadline to downsize by 60 beds is this month, but Colonial Behavioral Health Executive Director David Coe said the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services has finally acknowledged that bed reductions won’t be sustainable without additional resources in the community.

The region’s CSBs are currently working with the state to develop a sustainable plan for offering services. Read more about that issue here.

The CBH already has a relationship with Williamsburg Place and the Farley Center, Thorne said. “They work with us when they need help detoxing patients or if someone needs help at the emergency room,” she said.

Coe says the Pavilion will help treat patients who don’t need the longer-term care offered at Eastern State. The Pavilion will provide acute psychiatric care, which will not routinely be provided at Eastern State. “We are looking forward to the Pavilion providing services prior to Eastern, with the expectation that the quality of care there (and strong coordination with the community) will reduce the need for longer-term inpatient care,” he said in an e-mail.

It was that need for acute care that pushed Diamond Healthcare to build the pavilion, Thorne said. “We were talking with our partners in the community and learned there was a significant gap in services in this area,” Thorne said. The reduction of beds at Eastern State added an impetus to build the facility, she added.

The groundbreaking for the Pavilion took place July 8. The building was designed by Guernsey Tingle and will be constructed by Henderson Construction. The facility is projected to open in late 2011.