Avera Health opens addition to behavioral hospital, increasing space for psychiatric care for all ages

By Jefferey Metcalfe 3 years ago
To respond to growing needs throughout its 72,000-square-mile footprint, Avera has opened a new four-story wing as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls. Renderings of the wings provided by Avera Health.

To respond to growing needs throughout its 72,000-square-mile footprint, Avera has opened a new four-story wing as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls. Renderings of the wings provided by Avera Health.

Avera Health has officially opened a new four-story wing as of Thursday as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls.

The Helmsley Behavioral Health Center adds 60,000 more square feet of space for caring for psychiatric needs of children, youth and adults. This new wing adds 24/7 Behavioral Health Urgent Care, observation care, youth addiction services and partial hospitalization for youth.

This new wing also houses Avera’s senior behavioral health unit, which was previously at the Avera Prince of Peace campus, adding to the continuity of mental health services and expanding the program.

More: A South Dakota 12-year-old waited 9 weeks for mental health support. Instead, he’ll be sent home.

To respond to growing needs throughout its 72,000-square-mile footprint, Avera has opened a new four-story wing as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls. Renderings of the wings provided by Avera Health.

To respond to growing needs throughout its 72,000-square-mile footprint, Avera has opened a new four-story wing as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls. Renderings of the wings provided by Avera Health.

The hospital now houses private rooms with 146 inpatient behavioral health beds, and eight addiction residential beds for adolescents, also in private rooms.

More: See inside the new Avera Behavioral Health Center

Care for all ages includes outpatient counseling and psychiatry care, group therapy, partial hospitalization, youth and adult residential addiction care, and inpatient care with specialized units.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer expanded and enhanced behavioral health services,” Thomas Otten, assistant vice president for the hospital said. “This wing provides more space plus addresses some previously unmet needs with new services. Avera Behavioral Health Hospital continues our history as a world-class destination for mental health services in a greater way with a wider continuum of care.”

More: New wing of Avera Behavioral Health Hospital will soon start helping patients

To respond to growing needs throughout its 72,000-square-mile footprint, Avera has opened a new four-story wing as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls. Renderings of the wings provided by Avera Health.

To respond to growing needs throughout its 72,000-square-mile footprint, Avera has opened a new four-story wing as part of its Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls. Renderings of the wings provided by Avera Health.

Expansion funding came from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, which donated $13 million toward the $28 million wing, and with support from 770 other donors, philanthropic contributions totaled more than $22 million.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Avera Health opens new wing, Helmsley Behavioral Health Center

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