Indiana Regional Medical Center launches $14M behavioral health facility

Randy Griffith, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Oct. 21—INDIANA, Pa. — Construction will begin later this fall on a 31,000-square-foot, 44-bed mental health facility on the Indiana Regional Medical Center campus.

Announcing the new $14 million facility on Wednesday, hospital President and CEO Stephen A. Wolfe called attention to the current shortage of mental health care in rural areas.

"As an independent community hospital, we understand the needs of the people we serve," Wolfe said. "Behavioral health needs have been a critical issue for some time and only worsened due to the pandemic. Our hope is to provide care and comfort to the patients and families affected."

The facility will provide patients and their families with care close to home while helping ease staffing burnout and other issues at hospitals currently receiving the county's patients, Indiana Regional said in a press release.

Mental health treatment is the No. 1 reason for transfers from emergency departments throughout the region. In 2021, 200 Indiana County residents were placed in 23 inpatient facilities in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Armstrong-Indiana- Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission, Armstrong- Indiana Behavioral Health and Development Program and Southwest Behavioral Health Management are partnering with the hospital to get a $4.8 million HealthChoices reinvestment grant for construction costs through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services' Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Tammy Calderone, Armstrong-Indiana Behavioral and Developmental Health program administrator, said local mental health agencies have been inadequately funded since a 10% cut was instituted in 2012.

"I am excited about the opportunity to partner with IRMC in securing funds for the development of the inpatient beds for our region," Calderone said. "This is a much-needed service that will support residents in our communities and strengthen the existing behavioral health continuum of care."

Kami Anderson, executive director at Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission, welcomes the latest development.

"I am excited to see this project come to fruition," Anderson said. "Inpatient mental health beds are very limited in western Pennsylvania, and the addition of these beds will help our area residents access quality care locally."