Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation received a generous $100,000 donation from the CHMC Auxiliary for the construction of the Children’s Mental Health Unit at CHMC. “Inpatient psychiatry services for children and adolescents is a growing need in the North Country. At Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, when we see a child or adolescent in the Emergency Department who requires more than outpatient care, we are forced to wait for an open space in one of the few hospitals in the state who offer inpatient children’s mental health,” states Randy Fipps CHMC Administrator of System Integration and Behavioral Health, “The creation of this unit is vital to the health and wellness of the youth in our community. We are so grateful for this gift of support.”
The inpatient unit is specifically designed to meet the developmental and psychiatric needs of children and adolescents who require more than outpatient mental health services. Having a facility in St. Lawrence County means more children who need help can get it closer to home and family: with more than 900 youth (children and adolescents) presenting in the CHMC Emergency Department with mental health challenges each year, this is a necessary service for the community. This 12-bed unit will accommodate youth diagnosed with pediatric psychiatric disorders and will staff healthcare professionals trained to work in the field. The therapies and treatments provided at the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Children’s Mental Health Unit will improve quality of life and outcomes for patients. Patients will receive individualized, evidence-based treatment while also attending classes, meeting with their families, and expressing themselves through supervised activities.
Mental health and wellness impact more than just an individual: when a person misses work, when a parent can’t take their child to an appointment, when a family worries about the fate of their loved one – these are situations that affect many in subtle and obvious ways. If you are interested in supporting the CHMC Children’s Mental Health Unit, please contact the CHMC Foundation for information on investing in the North Country youth.
In order to provide meaningful support to the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Foundation was formed in 1984. Our goal is to faithfully serve our community by listening to and advocating for their healthcare needs and concerns. We engage the community to make these needs a reality. Over the years, the foundation has invested over $46 million in new or renovated healthcare facilities and services for the people of the North Country. Over $21 million of that investment has come through the contributions of thousands of donors and the hard work of hundreds of volunteers who care deeply about the quality of life in their community.