El Camino Hospital’s construction of a new psychiatric inpatient building on the Mountain View campus is intended not only to replace an outdated structure but to lead the way toward a collaborative, regional solution to the mental health care crisis. The 54,000 square foot, two-story building will be sited on land adjacent to the original facility, proudly and visibly integrated into the campus, a conscious effort to erode the stigma of mental illness and treatment. Its design reflects the hospital’s unique approach to mental health care: patient and family- centered, with the adaptability to respond to the changing needs of the community. The building’s increased capacity, El Camino Hospital’s contribution toward easing the regional shortage and ensuring more local residents can receive treatment in their home county, further affirms the hospital’s commitment to this vital work.
Although the original patient tower was replaced in 2009, the mental health building, now more than 50 years old, was not. It is in serious disrepair, unlikely to survive a moderate earthquake, and still accesses its utilities through the old main hospital, which is scheduled to be demolished as part of the approved Mountain View campus development plan. If it is not replaced, El Camino Hospital will no longer be able to provide inpatient and acute partial hospitalization psychiatric care to our community, which would exacerbate the already dire shortage of psychiatric inpatient beds in the region.
Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2019. If you would like to learn about naming opportunities in the new mental health pavilion, please contact Foundation at 650-940-7154. By partnering with us to build this place of healing for those who have the most challenging path to mental wellness, you can give more members of our community a better chance to achieve their promise, as we fulfill ours.