Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, a safety-net hospital in Paramus, N.J., has completed an expansion of its emergency department that increased capacity from 19 to 47 treatment beds, with a significant focus on behavioral healthcare.
The expansion more than doubles the department’s footprint and is designed to meet rising demand, especially for patients experiencing mental health crises, according to a Feb. 11 news release from the Bergen New Bridge.
The project includes the introduction of the EmPATH model — Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing — with designated spaces for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. The areas are staffed by behavioral health specialists and are intended to move patients from traditional clinical settings into therapeutic environments.
The expanded department also includes pediatric and geriatric treatment areas as well as sensory-sensitive spaces for neurodivergent patients, according to the release.
