St. Joseph's Health Breaks Ground on New Inpatient Psychiatric Unit to Expand Behavioral Health Care in Central New York

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — St. Joseph's Health today celebrated the groundbreaking of a major behavioral health renovation project that will create a new inpatient psychiatric unit designed to expand access to mental health services and better serve the growing behavioral health needs for the residents of Central New York.

Supported in part by a $16.9 million New York State investment, the project will relocate and transform the hospital's inpatient psychiatric unit into a newly renovated, two-floor facility within the Clare Loeber Smith Center on the St. Joseph's Health Hospital campus. Designed to provide a more therapeutic, patient-centered environment, the new unit will feature natural light, large windows, nature-inspired artwork and an improved layout that enhances patient privacy, safety and recovery.

“This new space will provide expanded opportunities for therapeutic groups, community engagement, and quiet areas, along with a dedicated outdoor recreational courtyard,” said Lauren Giannetti, RN, Director of Acute Behavioral Health. “These thoughtfully designed renovations will create a welcoming, therapeutic environment and have a meaningful impact on the individuals we serve.”

The current unit includes several semi-private rooms that can limit patient placement and reduce the number of beds available for use. In some situations, clinical and safety considerations require accommodations that reduce the number of patients who can be cared for at one time. In these instances, not every bed in a shared room can always be utilized. By incorporating significantly more private patient rooms, the new unit will expand access to inpatient behavioral health services while providing a more therapeutic, healing-centered environment for patients and staff.

Behavioral health needs continue to rise across Central New York and throughout the nation, increasing demand for emergency, inpatient and outpatient mental health services. The new unit will be located closer to St. Joseph's Health's Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), supporting a more seamless continuum of care for patients requiring hospitalization following emergency psychiatric evaluation and stabilization.

"This new inpatient psychiatric unit represents a significant investment in the health and well-being of our community," said Meredith Price, President of Hospital Operations for St. Joseph's Health Hospital. "Every day, we see the growing need for timely, compassionate mental health care, and this project reflects our commitment to ensuring patients have access to a safe, healing environment when they need it most.”

As the only hospital in Central New York with a CPEP, St. Joseph's Health Hospital has long served as a critical access point for individuals experiencing behavioral health crises. The inpatient psychiatric unit project is part of a broader strategy by St. Joseph's Health to strengthen behavioral health services across the continuum of care while addressing the growing demand for mental health providers throughout the region.

Earlier this year, St. Joseph's Health received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for a new four-year Psychiatry Residency Program, creating an important pipeline for the next generation of psychiatrists and helping address workforce shortages across Central New York. Residents will receive comprehensive training in a variety of clinical settings, including inpatient psychiatry, outpatient behavioral health clinics and the hospital's CPEP, providing valuable experience caring for patients across the full spectrum of mental health needs.

St. Joseph's also received more than $726,000 in New York State funding to support improvements at CPEP that will enhance safety, visibility, comfort and therapeutic engagement for people experiencing a mental health crisis. The capital project focuses on patient care and waiting room spaces and includes a new sensory room, upgraded security features, refreshed patient spaces, updated technology and infrastructure improvements that support high-quality, evidence-based behavioral health care.

“Every aspect of the CPEP renovations has been planned with the patient experience in mind,” said Giannetti. “The updates will offer a more therapeutic environment, including a dedicated sensory room where patients can practice coping skills and step away from the stimulation of the larger environment. For our pediatric areas, we will be partnering with local artists to create interactive murals that will make these spaces more welcoming and engaging.”

By expanding inpatient capacity, enhancing psychiatric emergency services and training future psychiatrists, St. Joseph's Health is helping ensure that individuals and families have access to timely, compassionate and comprehensive mental health care when and where they need it most.