Maimonides Health opened a new, expanded Psychiatric Emergency Department in Borough Park on July 24, bringing critical mental health services to more Brooklynites in need.
The facility officially opens on Aug. 5 and marks the first step in a larger plan to grow behavioral health care across the borough.
Funded through New York State Dormitory Authority bonds backed by HUD, the new ED is nearly four times the size of the original and offers increased privacy, more observation beds, in-unit restrooms and private patient rooms. It also allows for more on-site therapists and improved care for those experiencing mental health crises.
“Patient privacy is of paramount concern when working with a highly stigmatized patient population,” Ken Gibbs, president and chief executive officer of Maimonides Health said in a statement. “The opening of our Psychiatric Emergency Department allows us to care for even more New Yorkers presenting with mental health needs in a more dignified, private and therapeutic setting.”
The launch comes at a time of growing mental health needs. According to New York State data, nearly half of NYC teens report depressive symptoms and one in four adults experiences a mental health condition each year.
This ED expansion is part of a broader investment in mental health infrastructure. Maimonides will soon begin work on Brooklyn’s first Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), backed by $6 million from the New York State Office of Mental Health. This around-the-clock program will provide triage, crisis intervention, observation and referrals. A new adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit is also in development.
“This new facility will allow us to continue providing outstanding care to a highly stigmatized population, but with the ability to treat even more patients in an expanded space with many enhancements,” said Abraham Taub, DO, chair of the Department of Psychiatry of Maimonides Health.
