St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center has broken ground on a $21.5 million overhaul of its inpatient psychiatric unit in Syracuse, with a relocated layout designed for up to 30 patients and more private rooms. The project is expected to finish in late 2027.
The governor's announcement says a $16.9 million Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation award is the primary funding source. Plans call for 22 single-bed rooms and four double-bed rooms. The release says the work will increase inpatient capacity but does not state how many beds the existing unit has, so the 30 beds should not be read as 30 additional beds.
New layout and emergency care upgrades
The existing inpatient unit has only double-bed rooms, which the hospital says can create operational problems when treating people who need acute psychiatric care. Moving and redesigning the unit will add single rooms and a centralized layout intended to improve privacy, safety and care delivery.
The hospital is also renovating its Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, or CPEP, an entry point for inpatient care. The state Office of Mental Health awarded $726,000 in capital funding for that work, including more therapeutic spaces and other upgrades. That award is separate from the $16.9 million cited for the inpatient-unit project.
St. Joseph's Health Hospital President Meredith Price said the emergency program and inpatient unit serve people experiencing behavioral health crises and that the hospital is investing in both facilities. The governor's release describes the CPEP as the only program of its kind in Central New York.
Hospital adds psychiatry training
The hospital's new psychiatry physician residency received approval this summer from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The four-year program is approved for six residents annually, who will train in settings including the renovated inpatient unit and CPEP.
The residency is intended to address a regional workforce need, according to the release. It does not say how many residents have entered the program or how many will eventually practice in Central New York.
The state Office of Mental Health and Department of Health joined hospital leaders at the groundbreaking. State mental health Commissioner Ann Sullivan said the project is part of efforts to increase access to acute psychiatric care. State Health Commissioner James McDonald said the redesigned unit should also support patients, families and providers.
The construction timetable runs into late 2027. The release does not give an opening date for the upgraded emergency program or detail how inpatient services will operate during construction.
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