Montefiore Einstein announced plans on Wednesday, March 6, for a new pediatric inpatient psychiatry unit adding a new care option to address what officials say is the unmet urgent behavioral and mental health needs of children and adolescents in The Bronx.

 

According to Montefiore Einstein, the Montefiore Einstein Center for Children’s Mental Health of the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein will be funded in part by a nearly $6 million appropriation to Montefiore spearheaded by Democrats, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (A.D. 83), who broadly represents the Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Edenwald, Eastchester, Baychester, Olinville, The Valley, Laconia, and Gun Hill Houses sections of the borough, and Assembly Member Michael Benedetto (A.D. 82), who represents the Co-op City, Throggs Neck, Westchester Square, City Island, Country Club, and Pelham Bay sections of the East Bronx.

 

“Mental and behavioral health needs are at an all-time high among our Bronx children, and we have a moral obligation to do everything in our power to create conditions in which they can thrive and live healthy lives,” said Heastie. “That is why I’m proud to partner with my colleague, Assemblyman Mike Benedetto, to allocate funding for this project – one that will be essential to ensuring accessible, appropriate, and timely care for those who need it.”

 

He added, “As a leading health system in New York renowned for delivering exceptional care, I am confident that Montefiore will exceed in tackling mental health disparities with the new pediatric psychiatry unit.”

 

Montefiore Einstein officials said the 21-bed child and adolescent unit will be located within the existing New York City Children’s Center (NYCCC) campus, located at 1300 Waters Place, between Morris Park and Pelham Bay, adjacent to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and will serve as a model for urban pediatric inpatient psychiatric services.

 

They said the new program will physically and programmatically extend the capacity of CHAM (The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore) to provide a full range of medical and behavioral health services for youth in the region. They said the proposed center will be designed to provide best-in-class intensive treatment for youth with serious behavioral health conditions including severe depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidal thoughts, psychosis and other acute psychiatric conditions.

 

Jonathan E. Alpert, M.D., Ph.D., Silverman University chair, at Montefiore Einstein’s department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences said of the new unit, “Our commitment to youth mental health is a mainstay of who we are at Montefiore and now is the moment for us to advance treatment, bringing more access and new models of care to The Bronx through the creation of this 21-bed unit.”

 

The continued, “With an expert multidisciplinary team, the more intensive level of services provided to children and adolescents and their families during a particularly challenging time will strengthen their chances of leading more healthy and fulfilling lives in the community going forward. We are proud to work in collaboration with Speaker Heastie and Assemblyman Benedetto to address rising mental and behavioral health needs; our mutual goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of young New Yorkers.”

 

According to Montefiore Einstein officials, nationally, children’s mental health is in crisis. They said nearly 160 million people in the U.S., including all Bronx children, live in designated mental healthcare professional shortage areas and of the more than 281,629 children ages 5 to 17 who live in the Bronx, 20 percent (56,326) have a mental health disorder, and 10 percent (28,163) are considered to have serious emotional disturbances. According to the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), the current number of full-time specialists practicing child and adolescent psychiatry in The Bronx is not enough to meet existing needs for services.

 

“Children and adolescents across the country and in The Bronx who require acute psychiatric services often end up languishing in emergency departments waiting for available beds which are often far from their community and can be difficult for them to travel to,” Montefiore Einstein officials said. “Moreover, a recent JAMA study found that overall visits to pediatric emergency rooms for mental health crises increased 43 percent from 2015 to 2020, rising 8 percent per year on average with an increase in emergency visits for every category of mental illness.”

 

According to Montefiore Einstein officials, the new project, pending approval from the New York State Department of Health and Office of Mental Health, will greatly expand psychiatry services for Bronx youth, making it easier to access treatment and foster equitable care in the community. Additionally, they said the environment will offer enriched training for medical students and other health professionals.

 

They said the Montefiore pediatric psychiatry unit will provide 24/7 best-in-class care and access to comprehensive evaluation and care administered by mental health professionals expert in pediatric psychiatry. They added that the unit will improve continuity of care for Montefiore and Bronx patients through “state-of-the-art treatments and compassionate inpatient services in a developmentally appropriate, culturally attuned, and inclusive atmosphere.” Additionally, they said patient care plans will be coordinated within the Montefiore system, creating a smooth transition to further Bronx-based outpatient care, as appropriate.

 

Earlier this year, Montefiore was designated as a NYS Office of Mental Health behavioral health center of excellence, providing care in community settings for children and adolescents at three Bronx-based campuses – Moses Child Outpatient Psychiatry Division, Wakefield Child Outpatient Psychiatry Division, which includes an intensive outpatient program for adolescents, and Montefiore Behavioral Health Center, as well as Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, a Westchester-based faculty practice location. Montefiore is one of seven academic centers participating in NYS Project TEACH, which provides psychiatric consultation, education, and services to pediatricians and family practitioners throughout New York State.

 

“Montefiore’s focus on growing inpatient mental and behavioral health treatment for children and adolescents in the Bronx reflects a commitment to reducing care inequities, addressing the community’s specific needs, and providing leadership in the realm of urban pediatric mental healthcare,” said Benedetto. “I’m grateful for their dedication to leading the charge on an issue impacting the Bronx youth, and I’m hopeful that with adequate approvals and resources, we will be successful in improving mental and behavioral health outcomes for children and adolescents in our communities.”