WEBSTER, Mass. – June 22, 2016 – Of the many needs the new behavioral health inpatient unit currently under construction at Harrington’s Webster campus will fulfill, two are most noteworthy: First, it’s a vital treatment facility in an area where access to treatment is seemingly at an all-time low; Second, it will open as one of only a few licensed locations in the entire state to provide comprehensive care for dual diagnosis – individuals with both a mental health and a substance abuse disorder.
It is estimated nearly 50 percent of people with a mental health disorder such as bipolar or schizophrenia also have comorbidity, typically in the form of substance abuse.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), of the adults living with co-occurring disorders, 34 percent receive mental health treatment, 2 percent enroll in drug rehab, and [only] 12 percent get the help they need for both disorders.
In offering dual diagnosis treatment, Harrington is able to expand on the care offered to each individual beyond just medication management to include outpatient therapy, intensive day programs, and other supportive resources within the Harrington structure.
Harrington Executive Director for Behavioral Health Greg Mirhej has stressed how critical this type of program is since the healthcare system began to explore building the unit nearly five years ago.
“Treatment is more likely to be successful if the individual does not have to bounce around to several organizations for different programs,” he said. “Similarly, treating just one of the issues (psychiatric or substance abuse) can result in relapse more easily, since one condition undermines the other and the individual has a hard time maintaining stability.”
Patients admitted to the unit (typically through emergency room observations or by referral from other hospitals or mental health facilities) will have access to group therapy, occupational therapy, and a sensory program, where they learn rehabilitative coping skills for triggers and stress management.
When construction is complete, the 8,500 square-foot-unit will also include a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), a structured day program for individuals with substance abuse and/or psychiatric issues. The outpatient program includes therapy and medication management. It is considered a ‘step down’ from the inpatient program, or an option for individuals who are not candidates for the unit.
The adult facility will feature 16 beds and therapy rooms staffed by approximately three dozen employees, including a physician medical director, nurse practitioner, mental health associates, and social workers. The unit is a complete renovation of the former inpatient floor at the Webster facility, which closed in 2009, though the facility has continued to flourish with the new Remillard Emergency Department, a sleep lab, diagnostic imaging center, laboratory, and primary care offices.
The dual diagnosis unit also requires growth within Harrington’s already-established and fairly expansive behavioral health program across the region. Mirhej expects the recruitment of additional psychiatrists and mental health clinicians, citing a possible expansion of outpatient services at Harrington’s office in Dudley at 171 W. Main Street.
Harrington Director for Psychiatric Inpatient Services Jere Dittrich anticipates operating at full capacity almost immediately because there is such a high need. While the typical inpatient stay for a psychiatric unit is five to seven days, Dittrich anticipates the dual diagnosis unit will have an average inpatient stay closer to 10 days due to the nature of identifying all underlying conditions before treatment is established.
“We stand by our mission of a total, cohesive care plan,” he said. “We’re not just building a medical treatment facility, but a comprehensive approach to dual diagnosis, including what happens to the patient after discharge.”
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