Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset recently opened newly renovated space for its outpatient behavioral health services.
The new location added more rooms, expanded its services, offers three tiers of general services and has advanced treatment options to serve more people in the community.
Located on RWJUH Somerset’s campus, the facility is a short walk from the main hospital with a separate private entrance. In the new space, group therapy rooms were added, outpatient capacity has doubled and additional programs are set to expand to include time frames for patients who work during regular business hours.
The three levels of outpatient behavioral health services for individuals age 18 and older include a partial hospitalization program with daytime treatment Monday through Friday; intensive outpatient treatment, which typically involves a half-day program three days a week; and traditional outpatient services offered in conjunction with RWJUH Somerset’s Babs Siperstein PROUD Center, which provides primary medical care for members of the LGBTQIA community.
The trauma informed multidisciplinary team is comprised of board-certified psychiatrists, psychiatric advanced practice nurses, licensed therapists, music and art therapists, occupational therapists and more, ensuring each patient has a tailored plan to help meet their specific needs.
“The multidisciplinary team at RWJUH Somerset is equipped to teach the patient what their physical, psychiatric, psychological and social needs are so they possess the skills needed to succeed,” Dr. Frank Ghinassi said. Ghinassi serves as both senior vice president of the behavioral health and addiction services at RWJBarnabas Health and CEO and president of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has seen rates of loneliness, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues increase. The new outpatient center will help us accommodate the growing need of support for the community.”
In addition to outpatient behavioral health services, RWJUH Somerset has a 28-bed inpatient Behavioral Health Unit for ages 18 and older, treating both voluntary and involuntary patients. The hospital’s Crisis Center, located in the Emergency Department, also offers emergency care for patients in crisis situations, including those who are suicidal.
Earlier this year, RWJUH Somerset unveiled a newly renovated Eating Disorder Unit offering inpatient and outpatient services. The new unit doubled in size and provides a space where both adults and adolescents can heal and recover, separately.
Designed specifically to help promote healing, wellness and recovery, the Eating Disorders Unit features research-based design elements, including calming colors, nature-based lighting that mimics daily changes in sunlight, curved lines and references to nature.
