The expanded PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Emergency Department will include the Community Health Hub with services for patients who need help with behavioral health issues, addiction, homelessness, and other issues.
An expansion at the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Emergency Department in Vancouver, Washington, is set to open in July, and it will house a new service, the Community Health Hub.
The Community Health Hub will provide 24-hour, nonmedical care to emergency department patients experiencing behavioral health issues, addiction, homelessness, food insecurity and domestic violence.
The medical center received a $1 million federal grant, which will be used to offset construction costs, furnishings and equipment for the Community Health Hub. The center also received $22 million in community support.
Nearly 7,000 patients visit the emergency department five or more times a year without a medical need that requires a hospital stay, according to a press release on the project from PeaceHealth. The Community Health Hub is designed to directly address
those needs. The hub will be staffed by community partners, including Columbia River Mental Health Services, Meals on Wheels, Council for the Homeless and a county food bank.
"We look forward to opening the doors to the (Community Health Hub) later this summer and launching this unique initiative that speaks directly to the PeaceHealth mission," says Liz Cattin, community health director for PeaceHealth Columbia Network. "We
believe the humanity, compassion and connection we will provide, in collaborating with our community partners, can greatly improve the lives of our most vulnerable."