Facility

Editors Picks

Area for improvement: Psychiatric patient beds

May 10, 2013     Shannon Brys, Associate Editor
article

Although the field has made improvements to the features of "psychiatric-safe" beds over the years, architect and consultant Jim Hunt says there is much room to improve.

Considerations for chairs in psychiatric-geriatric units

May 9, 2013     Shannon Brys, Associate Editor
article

As the design team was choosing patient chairs for the new geriatric med-psych unit at Saint Mary's Health Care, not only did they have to incorporate the safety requirements of adult psychiatric patients but they also had to address the medical and comfort needs of geriatric patients.

How psychiatric spaces are changing

May 8, 2013     Shannon Brys, Associate Editor
article

When it comes to psychiatric facility design, many practices and assumptions that were traditionally followed may no longer apply.

Adapting facilities to address needs of multiple populations

May 7, 2013     Shannon Brys, Associate Editor
article

Michigan hospital renovates unit to meet psychiatric-medical-geriatric needs.

Breaking: 38 die in Moscow psychiatric hospital fire

April 26, 2013     Dennis Grantham, Editor-in-Chief
news

An early morning fire in a wood-and-brick psychiatric facility near Moscow killed 36 seriously mentally ill patients and two doctors.

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The nuances of ligature resistance

April 18, 2013     Laurence D. Kopp, PhD
article

Lesson: It takes a lot more than “ligature resistant” products to create safer patient environments.

Live from NAPHS: Celebrating 10 years of the 'Design Guide'

March 12, 2013     Shannon Brys, Associate Editor
blog

At the 2013 NAPHS Annual Meeting, authors of the Design Guide for the Built Environment of Behavioral Health Facilities were presented with an award as their publication celebrates its 10-year anniversary.

Inpatient facilities reflect specialized needs

March 6, 2013     Shannon Brys, Associate Editor
article

Amenities stress home-like comfort for those who say for several days—or more.

Fighting over siting: Proximity, prejudice, and stigma

January 29, 2013     Dennis Grantham, Editor-in-Chief
blog

Look at the history of nearly any housing and treatment project for those with behavioral health problems, and you'll find opposition fired by proximity and prejudice.

Design mistakes, part 2: More things many 'know' that 'just ain't so'

January 23, 2013     James M. Hunt, AIA, NCARB
article

Consultant warns that a little bit of 'knowledge' can be a dangerous thing.

Over the door alarms

January 21, 2013     James M. Hunt, AIA, NCARB
blog

Doors between patient rooms and corridors as well as patient bathrooms are frequently used by patients in committing suicide. There are several products available that will detect downward pressure on the top of the door and alert staff to this situation.

Design mistakes, part 1: Things many ‘know’ that ‘just ain’t so’

December 3, 2012     James M. Hunt, AIA, NCARB
article

When it comes to psychiatric facility design, sometimes staff comes to “know” certain things about design because they have heard them throughout their professional lives in the facilities in which they have worked. But using such “common knowledge” to work in designing new psychiatric facilities can be very problematic and very costly.

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