Ascension Health St. Francis Medical Center

Feeling Right at Home

Adolescent mental health issues are on the rise nationally, but young patients require different care solutions than adults. Ascension Health St. Francis made it a priority to create a special unit for adolescents to better align their mental health services on campus.

The unit design incorporates a balance of group therapy spaces, residential inpatient rooms, classrooms, active therapy, and occupational therapy with seclusion spaces that allow a patient to take a secure, inward focused break to self-reflect without feeling “locked-up.” Incorporating access to daylight and views to nature with a vibrant natural color palette promotes engagement. High-security features and safety design elements are discreetly incorporated into the design to protect patients and staff from harm while allowing for a seamless homelike environment. The result is a transformational space that focuses on a sense of community that is interactive and engaging in the right way while still being safe and secure helping adolescents feel right at home.