POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Officials at MidHudson Regional Hospital are awaiting state approvals to open a refurbished and expanded inpatient behavioral health 60-bed unit, according to the hospital’s parent company, Westchester Medical Center Health Network.
WMCHealth is the parent company of HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, where a 20-bed adult inpatient behavioral health unit opened in December 2024 after a two-year fight over the hospital’s elimination of 60 mental health beds.
The Poughkeesie hospital unit, known as the Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, is set to open once all approvals are given, according to a company spokesperson.
The project was supported by a $3 million investment from Dutchess County to strengthen local behavioral health services and meet the growing needs of the community, the company said in a new release.
“The need to provide exceptional mental illness and substance use services for patients in the Hudson Valley has never been greater, and this investment is critical to the communities across the Hudson Valley that we serve,” said David Lubarsky, president and chief executive officer of WMCHealth, in a statement. “This new inpatient unit is a transformative investment by the WMCHealth Network in behavioral health services at MidHudson Regional Hospital, and community well-being in Poughkeepsie and the surrounding areas.”
U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, D-Gardiner, who represents the 18th Congressional District, said the new center is sorely needed.
“As we confront a growing mental health crisis, I am heartened to see continued investments in behavioral health by Westchester Medical Center,” Ryan said in a statement. “Expanding access to high-quality, compassionate care throughout the Hudson Valley continues to be one of my main priorities. I’m proud to support efforts that strengthen our local healthcare infrastructure and deliver real, lasting impact for the people I serve.”
Dutchess County leaders and other political officials said the expanded unit will strengthen care.
“This investment in the new Behavioral Health Center of Excellence at MidHudson Regional Hospital is a powerful step forward for the health and well-being of our community, expanding access to essential behavioral health services for individuals and families and ensuring care is both comprehensive and close to home,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino in a statement.
“As the need for mental health care surges in our communities, we’re seeing those services reduced, especially in underserved rural areas,” said Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson, D-City of Newburgh, who represents the 104th Assembly District.
The renovated unit expands the hospital’s inpatient behavioral health capacity to 60 beds, up from 40 beds before the COVID-19 pandemic, and was designed to provide a therapeutic, calming environment that improves comfort, privacy, and safety, hospital officials said. The company said unit enhancements include updated patient rooms and common areas with more natural light to improve the recovery process; modernized finishes and materials designed to reduce environmental stressors and support de-escalation; a new patient comfort room where patients can listen to music, relax and de-stress; and additional group activity and therapy space.
In March 2020, WMCHealth eliminated its 60-bed inpatient mental health unit at its Mary’s Avenue campus to accommodate what was expected to be a surge in demand for hospital beds stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there was never a need for the additional beds, WMCHealth did not reopen its inpatient facility. That decision infuriated community leaders and elected officials at the time, who pressured the state to force WMCHealth to reinstate those beds.
In April 2022, then Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced a partnership with WMCHealth to increase the number of inpatient mental health beds at the Poughkeepsie hospital. In May 2022, WMCHealth agreed to return 20 inpatient beds to its HealthAlliance Mary’s Avenue campus.