EIRMC’s Behavioral Health Center adds 12 beds to its adolescent care unit
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IDAHO FALLS — Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Center is celebrating the expansion of its adolescent care unit.
In a news released dated April 18, EIRMC announces the addition of 12 new beds inside the Idaho Falls building at 2280 East 25th Street. This brings the total number of beds to 37, which increases the capacity to serve clients by 50%.
Another expansion includes the minimum patient age for admission. The facility can now admit patients as young as 12-years-old. The previous minimum age was 13.
“(Reasons someone would) need in-patient hospitalization (is if) they’re in danger of harming themselves or others due to their mental illness,” Shawn LaPray, the Behavioral Health Center’s Vice President, tells EastIdahoNews.com. “Our role here is short-term stabilization and helping them move on to a better way of functioning and continue to work through their mental illness.”
Juvenile patients who are typically admitted to BHC are teens who are depressed and experiencing suicidal thoughts. Staff provide a variety of services to help clients work through that, including family and individual therapy, medication management, occupational and recreational therapy.
The key that makes this successful is having a safe environment and what LaPray describes as “a well organized day of structured activities.”
“(This helps) our kids stabilize and see themselves in a better light and have a little more hope for the future,” he says.
Amenities at the adolescent care unit include multiple gyms, pottery and other activity rooms, a cafeteria and an outside common area.
LaPray says an increased need for these type of services is what prompted the expansion. Mental illness cases have spiked in recent years. Isolation associated with the COVID-19 lockdown has had a long-term negative impact on many people, including teens.
While it’s resulted in some pretty big consequences, LaPray says health professionals still don’t fully understand the extent of its effect. He cites several factors that continue to play a role in mental illness.
“One of the factors may be social media. I think that’s shrunk our world a little bit and has an impact on our kids,” says LaPray. “As the stigma for mental illness decreases, kids are more likely to seek help.”
LaPray says one of the biggest things people can do to prevent admission to the BHC is simply to talk to people. For those who continue to struggle, LaPray recommends counseling.
“Counseling is a great resource for anybody, even if you’re just barely struggling. If you’re not struggling at all, counseling is useful. Talking to someone about what’s going on can really help to prevent some of those thoughts … from snowballing and turning into something (you) can’t manage anymore,” he says.
LaPray praises the staff for their ability to help someone in a time of crisis. The ability to keep kids closer to home lessens the burden on families, he says, and this facility allows them to do that.
He’s excited for the expansion and the ability to serve more kids.
“When we have a bed open and there’s a need, we’re here to help them and their families,” he says. “I think we do a good job here and I’m proud of the staff and the culture that we have around helping these kids.”
The Behavioral Health Center also includes a unit with services for adults. It has 74 beds.
BHC opened in 1988. EIRMC acquired it the following year. It was sometime in the 1990s when adolescent care was first offered.