Allegheny Health Network’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Institute moved to a new facility on Pittsburgh’s North Side on Friday, marking a fresh start for a psychiatric center that had operated in the same location for more than 30 years. The move from Four Allegheny Center to the third floor of the Federal North building represents a significant infrastructure upgrade in time for Mental Health Awareness Month.
The new space features warm colors and inviting artwork, with upgraded facilities designed to improve patient experience. “It’s a much brighter space. The lighting is better. The furniture is new,” said chair Dr. Anthony Mannarino. The old facility had suffered from problematic heating and air conditioning systems over the past decade and had fallen into disrepair.
A major addition is an upgraded Austin’s Playroom for children, donated by the Mario Lemieux Foundation, offering more activities to keep young patients engaged while waiting. The new location also enables collaborative care with neighboring health departments. “All of those programs will allow us to collaborate with them and provide better integrated care,” Mannarino explained.
Dr. Gary Swanson, a child psychiatrist, and colleagues celebrated the relocation with a ribbon-cutting event on Friday. Alejandro Garcia Montijo, the institute’s vice president, emphasized the facility’s purpose: “This new space empowers us to deliver integrated, patient-centered care with both innovation and most of all compassion.” Dr. Mannarino stressed the importance of providing quality environments for vulnerable patients: “When I think about the patients that we serve, highly vulnerable patients with anxiety, with depression, and other mental health disorders, they deserve a good space.” The new space officially opens for patients on May 11.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/allegheny-health-network-behavioral-health-hub/