Renton, Wash.-based Providence is updating the behavioral healthcare model at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., a move that will affect about 40 positions, the health system said May 11.
The changes will take effect July 14, according to a news release shared with Becker’s.
Psych triage services — which assess patients in the emergency department — will transition to a new department staffed by licensed therapists. Mental health support roles in the emergency department and adult geropsychiatric unit will also shift to staffing models using certified nursing assistants with specialized behavioral health training.
Patients will continue receiving individual and group therapy from licensed therapists, according to Providence. The health system said behavioral health services will remain available during the transition.
Providence attributed the changes to evolving community behavioral health needs.
“Behavioral health needs in our community have changed, and it is our responsibility to adapt,” Providence Inland Northwest CEO Susan Stacey said in the release.
Providence said affected employees will receive “options and resources,” including opportunities to continue working within the organization.
The Spokesman-Review reported that some current psychiatric triage workers may qualify for the new therapist roles if they meet licensure requirements. The publication also reported that, in 2024, Providence closed Sacred Heart’s children’s psychiatric unit, citing financial losses and staffing challenges.
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