Page 7 - Case for Support - Strong Memorial Hospital | University of Rochester Medical Center

youth to help address rising suicide rates. We have also and outpatient programs, a month’s long inpatient
opened new facilities including a 10-bed inpatient medical- readmission was a turning point for Opladen in her
psychiatry unit for people who have a co-morbidity recovery. Today, she is nearing graduation from nursing
resulting from substance use disorders and school and looking forward to helping others.
the 18,000 square foot Adult Outpatient
Mental Health Services center on
North Chestnut Street to bring our
services closer to city residents. Lauren Opladen:
Planning to Help Others
To help children in our
community, we have grown the
Mobile Crisis Team, opened the Read more of Lauren’s story:
Golisano Behavioral Health and uofr.us/youarenotalone
Wellness Center, and developed
school partnerships that have
significantly increased the ability of
caregivers to provide proactive early At Strong Memorial Hospital, we provide
interventions. In addition, thanks to initial two levels of emergency services for adults and
funding from the Brighter Days Foundation, we will pediatric patients in a mental health crisis or distress.
build the area’s first-ever walk-in mental health crisis clinic Those who may need to be observed for some time,
where people up to age 18 will receive immediate care or be admitted as inpatients, are cared for through our
without a prior appointment. Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP).
Those who present with less severe psychiatric issues
This variety of services is what many of our patients need. receive care in the Psychiatric Emergency Department
Lauren Opladen was only 11 when her older brother died by (Psych ED). These patients may need a medication
suicide and 15 when her father died from ALS; both events adjustment or a modest intervention that will result in their
were major triggers for her depression and suicide attempt discharge to home. A new CPEP and Psych ED that provide
at age 17. Treated by mental health experts at Golisano a nurturing, calming, therapeutic environment will be
Children’s Hospital in the inpatient, partial hospitalization, crucial to helping our patients on their journey to recovery.