By Dan Hounsell, Senior Editor

The Behavioral Health Teaching Facility (BHTF) located on the University of Washington Medical Center Northwest Campus recently broke ground. The facility will be a one-of-a-kind, fully integrated environment for individuals struggling with serious physical and behavioral health problems.

The building will support clinical services ranging from medication management and psychotherapies to art neuromodulation treatments, medical and surgical care for individuals with medical and behavioral health disorders. The building also will become the home for an interdisciplinary training and workforce development program that is focused on preparing and supporting the next generation of behavioral health providers for Washington State.

The six-story building will offer campus and visitor amenities with a ground floor level featuring campus food service for patients, staff and visitors, conference rooms and state-of-the art neuromodulation services. Above, two floors of medical/surgical beds will treat patients with acute or chronic medical problems, such as patients with mental health or substance use disorders who are hospitalized for their medical needs and need a safe environment for hospital inpatient medical/surgical care.

The top three floors will feature flexible behavioral health inpatient units with standardized configurations designed to respond to a variety of client needs, ranging from highly structured programs to programs that promote independent functioning and transition to the community. Open-concept social and dining spaces on these units will create a residential atmosphere promoting serenity and comfort. Smaller semiprivate adjacent spaces will provide opportunities for patient choice and areas of respite and quiet.

The new building will also feature dedicated on-unit outdoor patient terraces to allow access to fresh air and nature as well as a larger shared outdoor therapy/recreation space to support physical activity and exercise. Every opportunity will be explored to maximize access to daylight and views while assuring patient privacy, dignity, and safety.