By Sean Ashcroft
With one in four American adults diagnosed with mental disorders every year – and a shrinking number of inpatient beds to support them – owners/developers are investing in new behavioral health facilities and upgrading existing spaces with modern designs to improve patient outcomes.
A 2024 survey by the American College of Healthcare Executives found behavioral health and addiction issues are leaders’ third-highest concern, behind only workforce and financial challenges. Among behavioral health worries, the lack of appropriate facilities and programs was the primary problem.
Design and construction teams that empathize with these pressures and can put best practices to use ensure health systems are getting the most for the capital investment and, ultimately, providing communities and caregivers the best spaces for successful care.
Collaborative planning to maximize ROI, improve patient outcomes
Regardless of construction contract type – traditional construction manager at-risk or teaming efforts like Design-Build – collaboration among project partners is vital for the complexities of behavioral health projects. Experience is important, but a team aligned around common goals that brings their unique expertise to the table can do incredible things.
The upsides to collaborative approaches range from procurement to schedule efficiencies and more, especially in identifying issues before they have a chance to manifest in the field. Nothing can be more disruptive than discovering unforeseen conditions in an active facility. Collaborative teams are able to flag areas where issues could arise long before the work starts, helping reduce the chances of unexpected surprises during construction and increasing predictable outcomes.
For example, VCU Health and DPR Construction planned to strategically phase the renovation of new behavioral health services rooms on two floors of the active VCU Health North Hospital in Richmond, Virginia to provide a better patient experience during procedures.
Before building out the hospital’s new electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation suites, the planning process anticipated key challenges involved with installing above-ceiling components within floor-to-deck-height constraints. Prior to construction, the construction team performed laser scanning above the ceiling area to accurately model the existing space and components. They then used Building Information Modeling tools to coordinate the installation of new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems with all project partners so they would not interfere with existing components.
For many owners/developers accustomed to traditional building methods, steps like laser scanning might seem extraneous and an unnecessary expense. However, the cost of fixes in the field often far exceeds the upfront cost to prevent them. It’s exactly this type of planning that is critical in specialized settings like behavioral health, saving both time and money when it comes to installing high-tech infrastructure and unique details.
Addressing full spectrum of behavioral healthcare
As mental health modalities evolve, construction project partners are staying ahead of these changes. More often, providers are tailoring spaces to address behavioral health patients integrated into the continuum of care, from primary care to emergency and intensive inpatient settings.
For example, our team led construction of the recently completed Valley Spring Behavioral Health Hospital complex in Holyoke, Massachusetts. This $72-million facility, a joint venture between Baystate Health and Lifepoint Health, offers specialized behavioral healthcare and expands capacity for inpatient care for adults, adolescents and children in the region by 50%.
The 124,000-square-foot campus offers a building with 120 beds in private and semi-private rooms, exam rooms, meditation room, individual and group therapy rooms, activity areas and other spaces illuminated by natural light in a setting that evokes a modern hotel. A separate building was also constructed to house 30 beds operated by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Continuing Care Program to help address the mental health crisis among people in underserved populations.
The site offers spaces for holistic care focused on patient well-being. A third building on campus houses a gym for active therapy programs and physical recreation. There are also secure outdoor areas, including basketball courts, to allow access to fresh air and light.
Paying attention to details with behavioral healthcare in mind
Any experienced contractor will tell you that every build requires distinctive attention. This is especially true with specialized behavioral healthcare construction. There are many specific details to consider, ranging from particular construction methods to the safety of construction workers, staff and patients.
This attention to detail is especially important when working in or adjacent to patient-care areas. Contractors must consider the security and wellbeing of patients, while enabling providers to work unimpeded and provide for staff safety. For example, in the VCU Health project, our team planned for and installed temporary, impact-resistant containment walls to separate spaces being built from patient areas to guarantee care wasn’t disrupted. These specialized walls featured self-locking keypad locksets to keep unauthorized people safely out of construction zones.
It’s also important to implement enhanced safety measures when it comes to construction equipment. This strategy includes ensuring tools are kept locked, conducting regular tool inventories, properly stowing cords and toolbelts and increasing lighting where needed. It is vital that every onsite worker understands how important this is.
Moreover, this approach extends to the smallest details of materials and methods. In Scottsdale, Arizona, our team recently completed the Via Linda Behavioral Hospital. The two-story, 72,000-square-foot facility features 120 patient beds that promise to help meet the increasing need for accessible, high-quality care in the region.
The facility was designed and constructed from the ground up for safety, health and wellness. For example, the hospital features pick-proof caulking on window and door trim, wall sconces, light fixtures and elsewhere to prevent patients from removing caulking they could potentially use to harm themselves. Also, staff can enter spaces above the dropped ceiling only via secure light fixtures to limit access. And the light fixtures themselves are secured by strong cables to ensure they don’t fall to the floor in the event someone is able to remove one.
Improving access to high-quality behavioral healthcare is a growing priority, however, expanding the number of locations to deliver care in cost-effective ways remains challenging. Healthcare leaders who take a strategic, long-term approach to planning construction and renovation projects can best position their organizations to address this pressing need, ensuring success over many years to come. Construction and design partners who thoughtfully align with this approach will ultimately unlock the most success.
Sean Ashcroft is DPR Construction healthcare core market leader.
