DHMC, Dartmouth HealthEmergency Department Behavioral Health Expansion

Project Overview

As the mental health crisis increased significantly during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, it prompted Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center to reanalyze, make vital improvements to, and expand their Emergency Department. The $7 million, 16-month project added nine new rooms focused on behavioral health and geriatric patients, a treatment room with negative pressure capability for high threat infection, group therapy/activity room, a mass decontamination room, single decontamination room, and an area for private consultations.

The addition was designed with enhanced safety features to reduce the risk of self-harm for patients. It allows healthcare professionals to provide timely behavioral health assessments, interventions, stabilizations and transfers to treatment.

Another goal of the new addition was to improve the services for elderly patients who require a similar, but unique type of care. Six of the rooms in the new addition have windows which bring in natural light, and are more soothing, and beneficial to all behavioral health patients.