NCBH Opens State-of-the-Art Psychiatric Emergency Room

Expanded $2.4 Million Facility Will Serve Even More Bronx Residents

  After three years of planning and months of construction, healthcare professionals, elected officials and community leaders joined together on November 6, at State-of-the-Art Psychiatric Emergency Room (NCBH) for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch the hospital’s renovated and greatly expanded Psychiatric Emergency Room. The ceremony celebrated the $2.4 million investment made by the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) to provide quality mental health resources for Bronx residents.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that nearly five percent of all New York State residents suffer from a serious mental illness. Each year, over 500,000 receive care statewide. The most serious cases are life-threatening conditions requiring emergency psychiatric intervention typically provided by a psychiatric emergency room like the one at NCBH.  Last year alone, NCBH’s original Psychiatric Emergency Room evaluated nearly 3,400 patients.  The original facility will continue to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing treatment to all those in need including children, adult and geriatric patients.  

The new emergency room nearly triples the clinical space used for psychiatric services, from 1430 square feet to 3600 square feet. Clinical providers estimate this could lead to a 10 percent + increase in patient volume, as additional examination and intake rooms allow patients to be promptly seen by psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other medical professionals.  Once patients are assessed and stabilized, they are either admitted for inpatient services or provided with outpatient resources. 

“Our new Psychiatric Emergency Room provides the excellent care NCBH is known for, now in a brand-new, state-of-the-art setting,” said Executive Director Bill Walsh. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide these needed services to all Bronx residents.”

Added Chief Operating Officer Sheldon P. McLeod, “The new Psychiatric Emergency Room is a substantial commitment to the Bronx communities we serve, including the Norwood neighborhood where we are located. This construction and renovation provides strong confirmation that we will be providing needed mental health care in the Northwest Bronx for years to come.”

About NCBH

North Central Bronx Hospital (NCBH) is part of HHC’s North Bronx Healthcare Network.  A 215-bed community hospital, NCBH specializes in behavioral, geriatric primary care and ambulatory care services for women and children. Its renowned outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. As member facilities of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, Jacobi and NCBH are committed to providing safe, high- quality medical care for any and all in need.

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with its own 420,000 member health plan, MetroPlus, and is the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc or find us on facebook.com/nycHHC or twitter.com/HHCnyc.