Providence’s children inpatient psychiatric center to close this week; Sacred Heart nurses protest
Published by THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW on 9/5/24 (Source)
Providence Health Care is closing its Psychiatric Center for Children and Adolescents this week.
The inpatient psychiatric care unit closes on Saturday after serving Spokane children experiencing mental health crises since 1984. The facility treated kids ages 12 to 17 with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, acute psychosis or other diagnoses that require inpatient hospitalization. The unit is licensed for 24 beds, but capacity dropped to eight in recent years.
According to Providence, closure of the facility came down to a nationwide shortage of inpatient mental health professionals – specifically child psychiatrists – specializing in caring for children.
“Without providers to staff the unit, it could not be sustained in our hospital,” Providence said in a statement.
The union representing Sacred Heart nurses claims adolescents will not be able to find the services they need in Spokane. During a protest Thursday evening, the Washington State Nurses Association chanted “Shame on you, Providence” to the hospital system.
“Our behavioral health system is not accessible. It’s not there for the patients when they need it, and any time we’re closing doors, it really is a travesty for the community,” WSNA President Justin Gill said at the rally.