Forty Sacred Heart mental health workers have been laid off to make way for licensed therapists with more training.
All of the eliminated positions are part of Sacred Heart’s psychiatric triage team, which evaluate patients’ mental health as they enter the emergency room and other departments.
Twelve triage team members working in the hospital’s primary emergency room will be replaced by licensed therapists providing triage services and direct treatment like mental health counseling.
The 28 other mental health workers staffing the unit work across the adult psychiatric unit and psychiatric emergency department. They will be replaced by Certified Nursing Assistants with specialized behavioral health training.
“Behavioral health needs in our community have changed, and it is our responsibility to adapt,” Providence Inland Northwest CEO Susan Stacey said in a statement. “It’s important to know that these services are not going away. By evolving our model of care, we are better positioned to provide the right level of clinical expertise for a vulnerable population. This change ultimately allows us to serve our community.”
Providence argues the restructuring is not a reduction in behavioral health services. Current triage team members will be replaced “one-to-one” by licensed mental health therapists, said Providence spokesperson Allie Hyams.
“We’re not getting rid of these departments. We’re just changing who does the work,” she said.
The move is “not financially driven at all,” Hyams added.
“By bringing in people with a license, we can meet larger needs and provide more services. Going forward, they can do counseling and they can do direct patient care,” she said.
Some existing psychiatric triage members may be hired to fill the new roles if they meet new licensure requirements, she noted. Some CNAs currently working in the hospital will be transferred to these new roles.
Elimination of the 40 current positions will be effective July 14. There will be no inpatient care interrupted by the transition, and all behavioral health services will remain unchanged, according to the hospital.
Providence previously closed its Sacred Heart children’s psychiatric unit in 2024. At the time, the hospital cited financial losses and difficulty finding enough child psychiatrists for the decision.