Opening of Cornell Pavilion Marks Bright New Day for Behavioral Health Care
With its large windows and contemporary design, Sarasota Memorial’s new Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion has been a welcome sight to those who have witnessed the spacious, three-story facility taking shape over the past year to replace the hospital’s aged Bayside Center for Behavioral Health across the street.
In early December, hundreds of staff, community members, mental health advocates and local officials stopped in for a sneak peek of the new pavilion, participating in a week of grand opening celebrations that included a ribbon-cutting, donor recognition and tours of its innovative treatment areas and therapeutic design.
The pavilion is named after Brian and Martha Cornell, in recognition of their $10 million donation to support the creation of the new facility. Brian, who is Chair and CEO of Target Corp., and Martha participated in a recent opening event, where they described the vision and ambition behind their gift.
“At the end of the day, our deepest hope is that this facility not only changes lives in Florida, which it certainly will,” said Brian Cornell. “But it also helps eliminate the stigma around mental health, and serves as a blueprint, inspiring others to support similar projects all across America.”
What’s Inside the Pavilion:
With soft, soothing colors and inspiring artwork, every design element in the new pavilion was carefully selected to promote relaxation and recovery. The pavilion’s two upper floors are dedicated to hospitalized patients.
The inpatient areas are separated into four “neighborhood pods,” each designed to meet the needs of specific populations:
• a 22-bed child and adolescent unit;
• a 16-bed geriatric unit for older or frail adults; • a 24-bed adult unit;
• a 20-bed acute care unit.
In addition to private rooms with piped-in music, TVs, mood lighting and large, sunlit windows, each pod has individual and group therapy areas for patients to work through different levels of care. They also have dining and visitation areas, screened patios, a gym with a basketball court, stationary bikes, yoga and fitness equipment, and sensory rooms where patients can relax with aromatherapy, meditation and other activities.
Inpatient services provide short-term, intensive psychiatric treatment for adults, adolescents and children who are admitted voluntarily or involuntarily. The programs combine advanced medical practice, pharmacology and psychotherapists to treat emotional disorders. Services also include confidential mental health assessments to individual, group, and family therapy, and planning for care after hospitalization.
Outpatient Behavioral Health
The first floor of the new pavilion includes a comprehensive array of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services, providing specialized programs for adults and adolescents managing acute mental disorders or dual diagnosis of mental health issue(s) and substance abuse, as well as help for adults transitioning back into the community after hospitalization.
The outpatient services include a partial hospitalization program that serves as a “step down” program to help people transitioning to a home environment after hospitalization, or prevent a hospitalization altogether. Other services include intensive outpatient programs for youth, adults and older adults, as well as advanced procedures, including neurostimulation, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
The Behavioral Health Services Team
Under the leadership of Inpatient Behavioral Health Medical Director Matthew Thomas, MD, and Outpatient Behavioral Health Medical Director Jason Lorenzen, MD, the multidisciplinary Behavioral Health staff includes board-certified psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychiatric physicians specially trained in ECT and addiction treatment, and about 150 mental health nurses, ,counselors/therapists, techs, and support staff. The team is also led by Executive Director Terry Cassidy.
SMH hired about 50 new clinicians this year to expand and enhance care in the new facility.
“We have always provided excellent clinical behavioral health care, but we wanted to serve our patients in a more supportive and therapeutic environment,” said Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder. “The new pavilion represents an important investment in behavioral health and will allow us to provide the five-star service that Sarasota Memorial is known for in so many other specialties in a state-of-the-art facility.”
Check out the video below for an in-depth tour of the pavilion: