AAMC seeks to open 16-bed mental health hospital

ANNAPOLIS - Anne Arundel Medical Center recently filed a Certificate of Need with the Maryland Health Care Commission to establish a 16-bed mental health hospital.

If approved, AAMC will build the new specialty hospital on the Riva Road campus where it operates Pathways, a 40-bed substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment facility. In addition to inpatient care, AAMC will also transition the outpatient and partial hospitalization programs to this facility.

"Community support for our project is strong and a true vote of confidence and indication that this community needs and wants access to mental health care," said Larry Ulvila, chair of AAMC'sMental Health and Substance Use Philanthropy Council and former president of the AAMC Foundation Board.

A core group of area residents and business leaders are pledging to launch a campaign to raise $5 million through the AAMC Foundation to help fund construction and programs for this new initiative.

"We have been expanding our mental health services and this facility will fill a critical gap. In 2014, we opened an outpatient mental health clinic and, later this year, we will open a psychiatric day hospital program where patients attend treatment sessions during the day and return home in the evening," said Raymond Hoffman, MD, director of AAMC'sDivision of Mental Health and Substance Use. "This will provide our community with access to a full range of substance use and mental health programs on one campus."

Each year, AAMC transfers more than 1,000 patients from the emergency department to inpatient mental health facilities across Maryland. The most recent countywide health assessment cites improved mental health and substance use services as one of the highest priority health care needs.

AAMC is also pursuing a Certificate of Need for cardiac surgery. An application was filed in February 2015 and is currently under review by the MHCC.