On Nov. 15, 2022, a new 14-bed adolescent behavioral health unit was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Hurley Children's Hospital.

It is a significant event because inpatient behavioral health services had been unavailable in Genesee County since 2005, which means kids ages 12-17 had to leave the county to receive treatment, creating a hardship on them and their families.

The $4 million project was funded in part through a grant and from donations:

• $350,000 grant from The Roots & Wings Foundation
  • Helped to purchase furniture and equipment
• $555,000 donation from Panda Express
  • Helped to create an activity room, Panda Cares Center of Hope, which is designed for group games, therapy sessions, arts and crafts, and a quiet area for patients who are sensitive to sensory overload.

The 11,000 square-foot unit is staffed by a multidisciplinary team that develops personalized care plans for adolescents who are at immediate risk to themselves or othrs. Patients include those with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Without the new unit, these hard-to-place adolescents may otherwise have been placed on regular medical floors, where pychiatric services are not available, or they would have been placed at other facilities around the state, if beds became available.

For patients and families, the in-county unit means they can more easily meet with the care team and family to develop specialized treatment.

For learners at Hurley Medical Center, the unit provides another aspect of healthcare, where resident physicians and others can gain knowledge and expertise.