Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health has expanded from 35 employees to nearly 200 under new CEO Lynn Brown, who took over in May 2024. The facility is currently licensed for 82 patients with 62 beds available and has capacity for 149 beds. The organization is addressing a critical gap left by First Hospital’s sudden closure with only 30-day notice. According to Brown, “We were devastated when First Hospital closed, and we know the services that they provided. And there’s still that need.” Pennsylvania’s suicide rate is 14.2 per 100,000 based on 2016-2020 data, while Luzerne County, where Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health is located, has a rate of 18.2 per 100,000.
Service Growth and Operations
Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health has served just under 1,000 patients since opening in November 2023. The facility recently launched direct admissions services, allowing patients to bypass emergency rooms with direct referrals from partners. The admissions department has grown from two staff members to 24/7 multiple staff operating a call center. According to Robert Gowin-Collins, director of development, “Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health has been super intentional with our growth. We want to make sure that we’re perfecting and really serving the population and giving them the right treatment plans, the right services that they need and deserve.” One to two additional units are expected to open by end of 2025. The facility is not geographically restricted and receives referrals from across Pennsylvania and neighboring states New York and New Jersey. Most patients are covered by Medicaid.
Community Engagement and Workforce Development
Wyoming Valley Behavioral Health emphasizes treating patients “with respect and dignity” and incorporates families into therapy approaches. The facility offers competitive pay, benefits, adequate staffing ratios, comprehensive benefits, wellness initiatives, continuing education, and license renewal reimbursement. Brown reported about 30 staff promotions, with some original staff from the opening day remaining. The organization uses social media to educate the community about available services and resources. Currently offering only adult psychiatric care, the facility hopes to expand to include adolescents and notes, “There’s a growing need. It’s not going away.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.wvia.org/news/local/2025-02-22/wyoming-valley-behavioral-health-grows-under-new-leadership-focusing-on-filling-psychiatric-care-gap