PROVIDENCE – Butler Hospital announced it will hold the grand opening of its new short-stay unit on Monday morning.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony, scheduled for 11 a.m., will feature remarks from Care New England Health System and Butler Hospital leaders, Democratic U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Gov. Daniel J. McKee, as well as community partners and stakeholders.
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The 25-bed unit will allow patients with mental health challenges to seek treatment at the new facility instead of overcrowded emergency departments. It is designed to accommodate several different patient populations through a flexible pod system so physical space limits don’t affect access to care. Examples of this include the ability to flex adolescent beds up or down and provide isolation rooms.
The new unit was funded with a $4 million earmark that Reed and Whitehouse secured in fiscal year 2023, along with $8 million in federal funds from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund that McKee and the General Assembly allocated in the fiscal 2023 budget.
“Our patients are our highest priority, so I am so grateful for the support from our government leaders and community partners who care about our mission to deliver compassionate and comprehensive mental health care services to Rhode Islanders in need of behavioral health services,” said Mary Marran, president and chief operations officer at Butler and president of The Providence Center. “Together, we brought this project to fruition. The short-stay unit is not only an important investment in our health care system but will enhance our ability to provide timely and effective care to individuals experiencing acute mental health challenges.”
Marran, who is also senior vice president of Care New England’s Behavioral Health Service Line, said the unit helps expand Butler’s continuum of care and eliminates the issue of patients boarding in emergency departments. Both Reed and Whitehouse agreed.
“This federal funding will help Butler provide better care for patients with mental health needs and reduce overcrowding and wait times at emergency rooms,” said Reed, senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Nationwide, hospitals are seeing more emergency room visits that are mental and behavioral health-related and they need to be equipped to respond effectively. Nobody should have to wait for days in crisis in an emergency room. This new short-stay unit will ensure patients who need mental health support can get the medical treatment they need in a safe, therapeutic, appropriate environment.”
McKee said that providing Rhode Islanders with behavioral health care is crucial for the state’s overall well-being.
“I’m proud that Rhode Island included funding for this new short-term stay unit in our budget, and I’m grateful to Butler Hospital, our partners in the General Assembly, and our congressional delegation for helping us improve health outcomes across the Ocean State,” he said.
R.I. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi noted Rhode Island is in the middle of a behavioral health crisis, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Rhode Island, like so many other states, is in the midst of a behavioral health crisis. The pandemic pushed our entire system to the edge, and we are seeing the fallout in overcrowded emergency rooms and increased wait times for services,” Shekarchi said. “I am thrilled to join Butler Hospital to open its new short-stay unit, which will ensure increased access to whole-person care for multiple populations.”
Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston, chairman of the Committee on Health & Human Services, said addressing mental health has been a priority of the chamber.
“We are fortunate to have many champions for behavioral and mental health in our chamber. With the support of President [Dominick J.] Ruggerio and our leadership team, we have also been squarely focused on stabilizing and strengthening Rhode Island’s entire health care system,” Miller said. “The new short-stay unit at Butler Hospital will advance our efforts to ensure all patients can access appropriate, compassionate care while easing the strain many providers and facilities, including hospital emergency rooms, face every day.”
DPR Construction was the construction manager for the project, CannonDesign was the architect and engineers were from BR+A.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.
