New behavioral health unit opens at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital

The new Veatch Behavioral Health Unit, an adult inpatient facility at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, will officially open for patients May 16. The new unit makes Inova the largest private provider of inpatient behavioral health services in Northern Virginia, expanding bed capacity from 30 to 50 beds, according to an Inova press release.

Funded  in part by a $3.5 million gift from Jeffrey and Amiya Veatch, residents of the Mount Vernon community, the new unit will provide comprehensive inpatient mental health services, including:

• Quiet Rooms to reduce patient stress, anxiety and aggression

• “Normalcy Spaces” where patients and families can get social support to gain normalcy and routine

• Group Therapy Rooms for a wide range of group support and therapeutic activities

Inova built the facility to meet the increased regional demand for behavioral health services; Inova Emergency Departments treat nearly 1,200 behavioral health patients per month, according to data from the health system.

The Veatches joined Inova leadership May 9 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new unit.

Another organization focused on mental health and wellness recently opened in the Mount Vernon area. The Growth and Healing Hub (“the HUB”) opened at Mount Vernon Plaza in April to provide affordable, culturally competent behavioral health services for children, youth and families.