At a time when the nation is grappling with the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest rates of suicide in decades, and soaring numbers of deaths from drug overdoses, the need for high-quality mental healthcare has never been greater.
In June, the Sheppard Pratt – Baltimore/Washington Campus welcomed patients and families to its new campus. Built to ensure that compassionate, comprehensive mental healthcare is more accessible than ever before, the message is clear: Hope is here.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were seeing an urgent need for increased access to high-quality, compassionate mental healthcare,” says Harsh K. Trivedi, MD, MBA, President and CEO of Sheppard Pratt. “The Sheppard Pratt – Baltimore/Washington Campus is the first bold step in a number of key initiatives that we are undertaking in our journey to meet the demands for our care and services. Our new hospital campus will redefine the standard of excellence in mental healthcare and help us broaden our impact to serve more people.”
Baltimore/Washington Campus: By the Numbers
square feet
acres of land
inpatient units
specialized outpatient programs
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A stunning entrance welcomes visitors
About the Campus
The new campus is conveniently located in Elkridge, Maryland, along the Baltimore/Washington corridor. Situated on 50 acres of land, the 156,000-square-foot state-of-the-art behavioral health hospital incorporates the latest advances in design for effective treatment.
The hospital’s modern design is in keeping with the vision of Sheppard Pratt’s founder, Moses Sheppard, who believed that access to nature aided the healing process.
“Much thought has gone into creating meaningful design to ensure that each person is treated with the utmost dignity and respect,” says Dr. Trivedi. “Modern, well-designed mental health treatment spaces contribute to healing and expand the therapeutic benefits of care.”
The wooded setting ensures patient privacy and takes advantage of the surrounding greenery. Patient rooms face wooded areas or interior courtyards, and the abundance of windows throughout the hospital offer natural light to ensure well-lit spaces that capitalize on the healing effects of nature.
Patient care areas offer contemplative and calming spaces where patients can learn skills to help them succeed in the long term. There are designated spaces for group activities and group therapy, a living room-like gathering area, a conference room, an outdoor terrace, a dining area for meals, and access to a shared central courtyard for fresh air and sunshine. In addition to the courtyards, the Baltimore/Washington Campus has a gymnasium, three basketball courts, and a multipurpose room for fitness and recreational activities. Other features of the building include a cafeteria for visitors and staff, and a gift shop. The hospital was built to LEED Silver standards, demonstrating a commitment to energy efficiency in its design and operations.
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Patient care unit activity room
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Indoor gymnasium for patient use
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Outdoor courtyard
Advancing Our Care and Services
The Sheppard Pratt – Baltimore/Washington Campus offers the totality of psychiatric and behavioral health services to advance care. It includes 85 inpatient beds, four specialized outpatient programs, a psychiatric urgent care, specialized procedures, and much more. Patients are welcomed into five patient care units for adolescents, young adults, and general adult populations that are suffering from thought disorders, as well as other mental health conditions, including substance use disorders.
The new campus also expands its specialized outpatient programs to four, now including eating disorders, thought disorders, and mood disorders programs, and a child and adolescent program. These programs serve as a step-down from inpatient care for many patients, and a step-up from outpatient care to avoid inpatient admission.
“The hospital will provide much-needed access for people across the lifespan, as well as critical crisis services our community needs—a need that has become more pressing during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Dr. Trivedi. “It will enable us to further fulfill our mission to provide greater access, serve more people, and create a brighter future for so many in our community.”
Take a virtual tour of the Baltimore/Washington Campus