Inside Pediatrics Spring 2025

CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES

For some patients, the Nature Hall is the entry point to Behavioral Health Services at Children’s of Alabama. From there, they can be connected with other services that help meet their needs.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT NATURE HALL

PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION PROGRAM

INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CARE

INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM (IOP)

PEDIATRIC ACCESS TO TELEMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (PATHS)

PSYCHIATRIC INTAKE RESPONSE CENTER (PIRC)

A Marked Improvement

Moore attributes the Nature Hall’s success in part to

Already, the Nature Hall’s impact is clear. Since it opened, the average length of stay for patients discharged from the ED has decreased from 9.46 hours to 4.55 hours. The number of patients who left without being seen dropped all the way to zero in 2024, compared to 47 in 2022, the year before the Nature Hall opened.

the team’s decision to staff the unit with trained behavioral health professionals, including nurses, behavioral associates,

and psychiatric providers. “This ensures children receive care from experts who understand their unique needs, which has greatly enhanced patient outcomes,” she said. Some of the staff who serve the unit are part of the Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), which is a phone response center for adults seeking mental health resources for their children or adolescents. The PIRC team is made up of licensed mental health professionals who, in addition to answering calls, also provide behavioral health consultation services within the ED.

DURATION OF STAY * for patients discharged from the ED

9 HOURS 28 MINUTES 2023

2025 4 HOURS 33 MINUTES

“These are incredible outcomes that reflect the dedication of our staff and the importance of having the right resources in place,” said Bonnie Moore, director of Inpatient Behavioral Health Services at Children’s.

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