Sheppard Pratt celebrated the opening of its first residential crisis program and a long-term residential program in Baltimore City with a ribbon cutting ceremony today. The opening of these programs continues Sheppard Pratt's long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality care and to meet the increasing demand for behavioral health services across a broad continuum of care.
The new long-term residential and short-term residential crisis program are designed to offer essential support to individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges, providing a safe and compassionate environment for those in need. Strategically located in the heart of Baltimore City, there are two separate buildings, each with a 16-bed capacity. One building will function as a long-term residential program, while the other will serve as a short-term residential crisis program, offering immediate care to individuals in urgent need of assistance.
”The opening of this location is in response to an urgent need to provide accessible mental healthcare, which will reduce unnecessary emergency department use and hospitalization. Our new residential crisis program will provide immediate support for individuals experiencing mental health challenges, providing access to the right level of care, at the right time, to ensure the best opportunity for effective treatment and recovery,” said Harsh K. Trivedi, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Sheppard Pratt.
The 32-beds will be staffed 24/7 and offer a variety of care options for individuals experiencing behavioral health emergencies. This expansion of services in Baltimore City will build capacity for those living with mental illness as well as reduce unnecessary psychiatric burden on hospitals in the community. The new dedicated buildings will provide the optimal space to support residents in the local community through their mental health crises and reflects a collaborative approach that aims to empower individuals to seek help closer to home.
“These new crisis beds help create a safe place for patients to heal and can also decrease hospital emergency department wait times,“ said Melony G. Griffith, president and CEO of Maryland Hospital Association. “Sheppard Pratt’s Residential Crisis Services Program is an excellent example of how hospitals across the state innovate, invest in, and create healthy communities.”
The opening of these programs is another milestone in Sheppard Pratt’s ongoing efforts to provide comprehensive behavioral health services in Baltimore City and across Maryland.
Sheppard Pratt received state capital funding through the Maryland Hospital Association’s Hospital Bond Program to help make this project possible. GBMC generously donated the property as well as a start-up operating grant to help those living in Baltimore City with serious mental illness feel supported. The Leonard and Helen R. Stulman Foundation also provided their support to establish the new residential treatment program so individuals can begin their transition back into the community in a fully supported environment.
For more information about Sheppard Pratt’s residential programs or to learn more about the organization’s services, please visit Residential Programs & Structured Day Services page on this website.
About Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard Pratt is the largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, developmental disability, special education, and social services in the country. A nationwide resource, Sheppard Pratt provides services across a comprehensive continuum of care, spanning both hospital- and community-based resources. Since its founding in 1853, Sheppard Pratt has been innovating the field through research, best practice implementation, and a focus on improving the quality of mental health care on a global level. Sheppard Pratt has been consistently recognized as a top national psychiatric hospital by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years.