{"id":742225,"date":"2024-09-06T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T12:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/?p=742225"},"modified":"2024-09-06T12:29:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T16:29:49","slug":"designing-safe-welcoming-behavioral-health-spaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/research\/articles\/topics\/healthcare\/designing-safe-welcoming-behavioral-health-spaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing Safe & Welcoming Behavioral Health Spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder \u2014 the number of people seeking treatment for conditions such as these has steadily risen over the past decade, and the pandemic has significantly exacerbated this trend.<\/p>\n

Behavioral health conditions affect at least 20% of adults in the United States, and they\u2019re even more common among patients receiving care for medical conditions. What\u2019s more, the crisis is getting younger, with a significant spike in mental health emergency department visits for children 5 to 11, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.<\/p>\n

\"ModuForm\"<\/p>\n

More than ever, it\u2019s essential that behavioral health spaces are insightfully and purposefully designed to be both safe and welcoming \u2014 a uniquely demanding challenge, says Seth Starner, Steelcase Health Advanced Explorations leader.<\/p>\n

To help healthcare organizations and designers meet this challenge, Steelcase Health recently undertook a research project focused on gaining insights into the macro issues and patient needs that must be addressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cBehavioral health patients are seeking care at a very vulnerable time in their lives, and our research confirmed that there\u2019s a powerful link between emotions, mental states, behaviors and the built environment,\u201d says Starner. \u201cThoughtful and well-informed design can have a profound impact on patient experiences and outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Complex Needs & Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n

While certain behavioral health services such as professional counseling have successfully gone virtual in recent years, it\u2019s now widely believed that people with acute conditions are better served by inpatient facilities. In hospitals, new types of units are needed to meet the rising demand for behavioral health care, including inside the emergency department. And there\u2019s now a growing trend toward caring for behavioral health patients in residential facilities.<\/p>\n

Wherever behavioral health care is administered, the physical safety of patients and staff is a top priority. This requires an extra layer of consideration when it comes to space design and furniture selection \u2014 for instance, choosing furniture that can\u2019t be easily torn apart or weaponized.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, safety is important in any healthcare setting, but designing for behavioral health requires a totally different mode of thinking,\u201d Starner emphasizes. Different types of spaces require different levels of safety. Admission rooms, exam rooms and seclusion rooms require special consideration because they\u2019re where staff interacts with newly admitted patients who present unknown risks or may be agitated.<\/p>\n

However, behavioral health spaces involve much more than physical safety and accessibility compliance with the America Disabilities Act. \u201cOur research has found that physically safe environments that don\u2019t consider emotional harm aren\u2019t effective spaces,\u201d says Starner. \u201cPatients should both be safe and feel safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Therapeutic design \u2014 the process of designing environments that promote psychological wellness through light, color and other sensory elements \u2014 supports physical safety by creating less stressful spaces and lowering feelings of aggression and violence.<\/p>\n

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Learn more about our new relationship with ModuForm<\/a>, a behavioral health specialist whose solutions help to humanize experiences through compassion and vigilance for patient and clinician safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cAesthetics and comfort can be achieved while still creating safe environments,\u201d says Starner. \u201cBehavioral health furniture doesn\u2019t need to look unapproachable and uncomfortable. The goal is to create spaces that will help patients relax and be open to receiving treatment. A welcoming environment signals to patients that their care matters and it can help minimize any stigma about their condition by conveying a sense of respect and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moreover, designs that improve the psychological wellbeing of patients can also benefit staff and visitors. Noise control, for instance, can reduce stress for everyone in the building.<\/p>\n

Seven Design Principles<\/strong><\/p>\n

To help organizations and designers create safe and welcoming behavioral health spaces, Steelcase Health synthesized their research into seven design principles that together form a multilayered strategy.<\/p>\n

\"Patient<\/p>\n

1. Design for physical safety<\/strong><\/p>\n