Sioux Falls: Boosting Adult Care at Avera Behavioral Health Hospital
In its Sioux Falls and Aberdeen centers, Avera Health has launched an ambitious plan to improve in-patient mental health care.
The primary focus of this growth will be on enhancing the services in adult mental health care facilities and crisis response units for all ages.
Mainly, it is dedicated to improving infrastructure and resources that cater for mental health needs by offering comprehensive and specialized care at all phases of life.
Expansion of Avera Behavioral Health Hospital
The Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls will see a significant increase in its capacity.
Completion of shell space within the Helmsley Behavioral Health Center will result in 16 additional dedicated beds specifically for adult services.
This move is a proactive measure to meet the acute needs of patients with special needs.
This major project, which is expected to be finished by spring 2025, has been made possible through a combination of funding sources.
A larger sum of $2.1 million is obtained through federal appropriations while the South Dakota Department of Social Services channels another $1.2 million into this program.
Contributions from the American Rescue Plan Act have also played a critical role in making this project a reality.
Thomas Otten, Vice President Avera Behavioral Health Services thanked state and federal governing bodies for their recognition and support.
In his explanation, Otten stressed how special units provide better treatment options for adults who suffer from acute conditions.
These additional 16 beds will raise the total bed count at Avera Behavioral Health Hospital to 162, making it the fourth-largest hospital in the state.
Aberdeen: Responding To Behavioral Health Needs at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital
On the other hand, Avera St. Luke’s hospital located in Aberdeen is also undertaking a parallel project similar to that of Sioux Falls whose strategic objective is to enhance their behavioral health care capabilities.
Similarly, the hospital will convert its empty fourth floor following the example given by the Sioux Falls initiative.
The main aim is to build an extended eighteen-bed wing which would be able to cater for unique mental healthcare needs for adults as well as seniors within the community.
Furthermore, there will be an adolescent crisis stabilization center; this is because the growth and development of all their lives realized.
This project will be completed by fall 2024, marking a great milestone in the commitment of Avera St Lukes to meet the mental health needs of its community.
Funding for this endeavor comes from various sources just like the Sioux Falls project. A considerable grant of $2.4 million from the South Dakota Department of Social Services is also being supplemented by funds received from American Rescue Plan Act.
It should also be noted that Dacotah Bank’s generous gift worth $1.5 million further emphasizes the possibility of this undertaking.
Dan Bjerknes, Regional President and CEO, St Luke’s Hospital said that it was an important development for the city.
Thus, Bjerknes reminded about how timely and necessary behavioral health initiatives were as he drew parallels with the hospital’s earlier investment in a state-of-the-art cancer center.
Addressing Critical Mental Health Needs
In response to a growing demand for specialized and comprehensive behavioral health care, Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen and Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in Sioux Falls have expanded their services.
In short, this means that these endeavors are more than just emergency responses; rather, they represent a personalized approach to the provision of community-based mental health care services.
It is noteworthy that this approach seeks to ensure that people from different walks receive mental health care support at any stage of life hence striving towards addressing the issue of holistic mental wellness by all means possible.
