Authors

Emma HallFollow

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Date

2021

Abstract

The Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) at Glens Falls Hospital provides a separate, safe space within the Emergency Department for adults and children struggling with mental health crises to stabilize before discharge or admission to an inpatient psychiatric unit. An increase in mental health crises over the past 10+ years plus a shortage of nearby inpatient beds, especially for adolescents and children, has led to longer stays in the CSU. Longer stays in a place not built for therapeutic intervention but rather for crisis stabilization may lead to increased agitation, prolonged stays or prolonged time to stabilize a patient, and potentially increased need for de-escalation or restraint. This project aimed to improve the therapeutic environment to help counter those effects of longer stays in this space, utilizing evidence-based methods and community involvement.

Clinical Site

Hudson Headwaters Health Network LIC

Keywords

mental health, therapeutic environment, pediatric mental health, adolescent mental health, psychiatry, mental health crisis, crisis stabilization, arts, arts community, community engagement, mural

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Disciplines

Art Therapy | Community Health | Medical Education | Other Mental and Social Health | Primary Care | Psychiatric and Mental Health

Improving the Therapeutic Environment in the Crisis Stabilization Unit at Glens Falls Hospital

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