Providence, R.I.-based Care New England has started construction of a 25-bed short-stay unit at Butler Hospital.
The unit will allow patients with mental health needs to seek treatment initiation at the new facility instead of overcrowded emergency departments, according to a Sept. 27 news release from the office of Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee. The project is funded through COVID-19 pandemic relief funds received by the state as well as other federal funds provided by Rhode Island's congressional delegation.
The unit is being designed to accommodate multiple distinct patient populations by using flexible pod systems to ensure that access to care is not affected by physical space limitations, according to the release.
The renovation project is expected to wrap in 2024. Butler is the state's only nonprofit, freestanding psychiatric hospital.