Inpatient Mental Health Unit

VA Medical Center

The existing Mental Health Unit at Vermont’s VA Medical Center campus had not seen a major renovation since the building was constructed in 1971. To address higher-acuity patients, FFF relocated the Central Nurses’ Station to give maximum oversight of the 12-bed unit. A new Sally-Port controls all access to the unit, and staff areas are now in two secure zones accessed via the nurse station or electronically managed doors.

Two separate groupings of patient rooms will allow for different levels of patient acuity, but the rooms themselves are similar, with the same home-like finishes, natural wood trim, and artwork found throughout the unit. Special care was taken to incorporate sophisticated security measures and limit the potential for patient self-harm while avoiding an institutional appearance.

The flexible and expandable design, coupled with FFF’s attention to detail, provides an enduring unit with superior operational efficiency.