ELKO, Nevada – Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital (NNRH) announced this week that the first patients have been admitted for treatment in the newly-remodeled inpatient behavioral health unit (BHU) on the hospital’s third floor. Originally slated to open earlier this year, regulatory inspections and construction delays pushed back the BHU’s official opening by several months.

“We are very pleased the unit is now open to receive patients,” said Steve Simpson, NNRH’s chief executive officer. “This process took longer than we anticipated, but we’re happy to now be providing this vital service to our community. We really have a great team in the BHU, and they’ve been eager to get to work.”

The medical providers treating patients in the behavioral health unit include Dr. Janaka Sarathchandra, a board-certified psychiatrist, and Jessica Van Valkenburg, a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. They are joined by a team of nurses, social workers, therapists and support staff.

“All of us are here for the patient,” said Van Valkenburg. “The reason we come to work each day is to help people when they need us most. We’re able to provide them with support and stabilization when they maybe feel like they can’t go on. Then we’re able to help them develop a plan to move forward toward wellness.”

The 16-bed behavioral health unit provides round-the-clock treatment and support for adults 18 and older who are experiencing acute mental health crises. Van Valkenburg described how treatment plans differ from patient to patient based on each individual’s unique situation.

“Every person who comes to us has a different story and a different set of needs. So, we work with them to find the right treatment options,” Van Valkenburg explained. “While medication might be helpful, so might art therapy, or group counseling sessions. We really take a multi-disciplinary, evidence-based approach. Ultimately, it’s all about what’s best for the patient.”

 With the unit now open, Simpson said he anticipates fewer patients needing to be transferred out of town for behavioral health treatment.

 “The good news is we can keep more folks close to home,” Simpson stated. “It’s never ideal to be transported out of town for healthcare, but especially when someone’s already experiencing a mental health crisis, sending them hundreds of miles away just adds more stress on them and their family.”

 “I’m so grateful the unit is now open so our most vulnerable patients can get the care and support they need right here in our community. That’s really what it’s all about,” Simpson concluded.

To learn more about behavioral health services at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, please visit www.nnrhospital.com/behavioral-health.

“Every person who comes to us has a different story and a different set of needs. So, we work with them to find the right treatment options ... Ultimately, it’s all about what’s best for the patient.” -- Jessica Van Valkenburg, DNP, PMHNP-BC