$3M grant allows Holland Hospital to add more psychiatric beds

What’s happening: Holland Hospital Behavioral Health Services will expand its inpatient unit thanks to a $3 million grant through the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) to meet the demand for mental health treatment. The funding was appropriated by the Michigan Legislature as part of the state budget for fiscal year 2023.

How it works: Starting on Sept. 29, two licensed psychiatric beds will be added. This will provide access to critical mental health care for an additional 100 patients per year while keeping patients close to home. 

What’s planned: The expansion is part of Holland Hospital’s response to the community needs detailed in the 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which identified mental health as a top issue in Ottawa County. According to the assessment, Ottawa-area adults reported some of the highest levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression since the first CHNA in 2011.

What they are saying: “As mental health continues to be a priority area of need for our community, we are pleased to offer expanded access to inpatient psychiatric treatment,” says Mikaela Andrea, director of Behavioral Health Services at Holland Hospital.

Why it is important: Holland Hospital, the sole provider of inpatient psychiatric care in Ottawa County, is poised to meet the growing demand for mental health services in the county, which has seen a population increase of more than 12% over the past decade. As the primary inpatient psychiatric resource for Ottawa and Allegan counties, Holland Hospital Behavioral Health Services plays a crucial role in providing essential mental health care to the region.

How they’re doing it: Holland Hospital Behavioral Health Services offers a comprehensive range of mental health care options, both inpatient and outpatient. Its inpatient Behavioral Health Services provides specialized services for individuals requiring intensive treatment, including those needing psychiatric intensive care. The psychiatric intensive care unit features specially trained staff, private rooms, enhanced safety measures, and a smaller capacity to provide a calming environment for patients requiring the highest level of care.

But that’s not all: Beyond inpatient services, Holland Hospital Behavioral Health Services also offers a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient program, outpatient psychiatry, therapy, psychological testing, and behavioral health services within primary care settings.