Cape Fear Valley Health, Behavioral Health

The community served by Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, NC — like much of the nation — has faced an increase in demand for behavioral healthcare, particularly in adolescents. To meet this need, the client commissioned McMillan Pazdan Smith to renovate an existing Med-Surg unit into an adolescent-focused Behavioral Health unit. By studying their flows and intake, we guided the client to a more advantageous expansion of their current, adult Behavioral Health unit. We designed a single-story expansion to their two-story building, with room to expand vertically for future need.

This project was funded entirely by a Dorothea Dix Hospital Property Fund grant. Our past experience with this type of grant helped the client to meet the requirements of receipt without slowing progress in design and construction. Without a capital reserve of funds, the budget for this project was finite and our design team explored every option for cost savings, even and especially as the COVID-19 pandemic increased prices.

By expanding the existing Behavioral Health Unit with a secure connection to the new adolescent unit, we enabled shared staff and resources flow. Food, medication, and supplies, common to both units, could pass easily and safely. FGI safety guidelines could also be maintained throughout the entire unit. Important in all behavioral health units — life safety is a particular focus in adolescent units as the patients are particularly vulnerable. Our knowledge of guidelines and a breadth of material options allowed us to present alternative designs that respected budget without sacrificing safety.