Unanimous NYS Approval for Montefiore Einstein's Inpatient Pediatric Mental Health Center

$3.1M in Capital Grant Funding from NYS Office of Mental Health to Further Support the Project

New Unit Will Serve as a Model to Address Unmet Behavioral and Mental Health Needs of Children and Adolescents in the Bronx

BRONX, N.Y., July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently announced plans for the Montefiore Einstein Center for Children's Mental Health of the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Einstein (CHAM), to be located within the New York City Children's Center (NYCCC), received unanimous approval from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) and the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYSOMH) Behavioral Health Services Advisory Council (BHSAC). Additionally, $3.1M in capital grant funding from the NYS OMH has been secured to further support the project.

"Thanks to support from state leaders, Montefiore has taken a crucial step toward expanding access and care for our young Bronx patients, reaffirming our long-standing commitment to youth mental health," said Jonathan E. Alpert, M.D., Ph.D., Silverman University Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Expanding services for Bronx children and adolescents in crisis will strengthen not only their chances of leading healthier and more fulfilling lives, but also contribute to the health and vitality of their families and the community as a whole, and we look forward to opening this center soon."

Recognizing that inpatient child and adolescent services are sorely needed, NYSDOH and NYSOMH reviewed and approved the project expeditiously, and praised Montefiore for its initiative.

An additional $3.1M in funding, part of a $30 million investment made by Governor Kathy Hochul to add 109 new inpatient psychiatric beds statewide, will also support this project. Administered by NYSOMH, these awards will cover design, property acquisition, and construction costs associated with adding 21 new inpatient beds in the Bronx.

"Building greater inpatient capacity for psychiatric care is a component in our efforts to strengthen our state's mental health care system and ensure all New Yorkers have the support they need to live and thrive. We are proud to partner with Montefiore on this project, which will provide additional beds to serve children and adolescents living with mental illness in the Bronx. Governor Hochul's continued focus and commitment toward bolstering youth mental health supports statewide is helping projects like this one become a reality," said OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan.

Announced earlier this year, the Montefiore Einstein Center for Children's Mental Health of CHAM will provide best-in-class intensive treatment for youth with serious behavioral health conditions including severe depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidal thoughts, psychosis and other acute psychiatric conditions. A large portion of the funding was already provided by a nearly $6 million capital appropriation spearheaded by New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assembly Member Michael Benedetto. Additionally, $1M in capital private philanthropy was secured by Montefiore. This new unit will:

• Greatly expand inpatient psychiatry services for Bronx youth and adolescents, making it easier for patients and their families to access treatment and foster equitable care in the community;
• Improve continuity of care for Montefiore and Bronx patients through state-of-the-art treatments and compassionate inpatient services in a developmentally appropriate, culturally attuned, and inclusive environment;
• Create a seamless continuity of care within the Montefiore system, facilitating a smooth transition to further Bronx-based outpatient care, as appropriate;
• Develop a pipeline for multidisciplinary staff to include social workers, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists and more in this critical area; and
• Offer enriched training for medical students and other health professionals.

Plans for this unit come on the heels of several initiatives across the Montefiore Health System to significantly expand psychiatric consultation, education, and services. This year, Montefiore was named a New York State Office of Mental Health Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and was awarded a $7 million grant to add extended observation beds for adults in need of emergency care, open an intensive partial hospitalization program for adults, expand care management for individuals discharged from emergency and inpatient settings, and launch a new child outpatient psychiatry clinic in the South Bronx.

The project is slated to begin Q3/Q4 2024 with the inpatient program expected open before the end of Q3 2025.

About Montefiore Health System
Montefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems. It is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley. It comprises ten hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, and over two hundred outpatient ambulatory care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information, please visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or view us on Facebook and YouTube.

SOURCE Montefiore Health System