Valley Health’s current mental health programs were spread throughout multiple locations in Winchester, creating challenges from a staffing and patient scheduling perspective. With support from the Stronger Together Campaign, Valley Health worked with Kahler Slater to develop a vision for a state-of-the-art centralized facility for their mental health services. The campaign identified critical mental health needs in the community, for both adult and adolescent patient populations.
The new 26,200 square-foot outpatient mental health facility needed to be flexible to serve both populations, while also providing safety and security for all patients and staff. The building is divided into two symmetrical halves, with the left side designated for adults and the right for adolescents, with features to ensure the required separation of patient populations. Different accent colors are used on each side to aid wayfinding.
This facility supports the growth of Mental Health providers and staff while expanding Valley Health’s commitment to serving an underserved community. It includes both individual and group therapy spaces, offering traditional therapy as well as Intensive Outpatient Therapy.
The facility serves Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder patients. An innovative feature is the inclusion of two multi-purpose therapeutic spaces with clerestory windows and daylight access, offering opportunities for activities like art therapy and peer support meetings. Additionally, the design allows flexibility in patient access to group rooms and therapeutic spaces, adjusting daily based on patient census while maintaining separation between adult and adolescent populations.
