Mind Frame

Sometimes patients need medical care and mental health care at the same time. Previously, Summa Health patients would get treated at the main Akron City Hospital and then transferred, sometimes by ambulance, to St. Thomas Hospital for behavioral health treatment or vice versa. But once Summa opens a 60-bed behavioral health facility on the Akron campus Jan. 24, patients can get their needs treated in one place.

“We don’t have to artificially decide, What does someone need more: mental health care or medical care? Because sometimes, and not uncommonly, they need both,” says Dr. Joe Varley, chair of the department of psychiatry, adding that while the pandemic brought more attention to behavioral health services, demand has always been high.

The seven-story facility has four separate units to treat general adult patients, geriatric patients and those with addiction and mental health needs. It has space for outpatient services for mental health, addiction and trauma. There’s also a unique traumatic stress center to help veterans and patients who have dealt with physical assault, sexual assault and child abuse process their trauma through talk therapy and other evidence-based treatments. Plus, the facility honors Sister Ignatia and St. Thomas’ legacy as the nation’s first hospital unit, Ignatia Hall, to treat alcoholism as a disease and its part in founding Alcoholics Anonymous.

Ignatia Hall has relocated to a new 14-bed detox unit in Akron City that offers a wide range of treatments including connecting patients with people who found sobriety to provide peer recovery coaches and sponsors.

“[It’s] individualized for that person’s circumstances, whether it’s fixing relationships that have fell apart during their time of use or it’s legal or psychological stressors,” says Jaimie McKinnon, vice president of the behavioral health service line.

There are also 15 new behavioral health beds in the emergency department of Akron City to provide psychiatric assessments, and across all Summa emergency departments, Suboxone medically assisted addiction treatment is offered through a First Step program that also matches patients with same- or next-day community partners like Portage Path Behavioral Health.

Dignity for patients undergoing challenging journeys is important. While the St. Thomas rooms were shared, all new rooms are private, and patients can relax in a reflection center and garden. The rooms are also on the top four floors of the building and ample window light makes it a serene healing space.

“The views are really quite spectacular,” says Varley. “It’s respectful that the people who are in the most difficulty and stress be given … a sense of being in a place that’s designed to be helpful.” 

Updated 1/12/23