Enhancing Behavioral Health Spaces with Smart Design

Designing and building a mental and behavioral health facility is a unique challenge that goes beyond the standard considerations for typical healthcare settings. It requires a deep understanding of the specific needs of behavioral health patients and a commitment to creating spaces that foster healing, safety, and dignity. In this article, we will explore essential design considerations for behavioral health facilities and how Clarus glass boards can play a vital role in improving patient care and communication.

Creating Therapeutically Enriching Environments

Optimizing Visibility and Space

Common areas in mental health facilities serve as crucial spaces where staff must monitor patient interactions closely. Designing these areas with open floor plans allows staff to oversee patients effectively from a central location, enhancing safety and reducing the need for excessive staff. Additionally, open spaces help reduce the feeling of overcrowding, which can have a calming effect on patients.

Providing Visual Access to Nature

Incorporating natural elements into the design, such as large windows with views of gardens or green spaces, can significantly impact patient recovery. Nature has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve mood, making it a crucial element in behavioral health settings.

Balancing Private and Shared Rooms

The debate between private and shared rooms for behavioral health patients reveals that both have merits. Some patients benefit from the companionship of a roommate, which can prevent potential self-harm or suicide. Others may find shared spaces stressful and prefer the solitude of a private room. A balanced mix of private and shared rooms can cater to diverse patient needs, enhancing their overall well-being.

Designing for Specific Patient Needs

Memory Care

Facilities specializing in memory care, often catering to geriatric patients, must implement design features that prevent falls and enhance safety. These include handrails, brightly-lit spaces, and high-contrast flooring materials to make transitions between different areas easily noticeable.

Minimizing Potential Physical Hazards

The design should eliminate or reduce potential hazards that could harm patients. This includes using rounded edges on furniture, break-resistant glass, and ensuring that any fixtures or fittings cannot be used for self-harm.

General Inpatient Healthcare

Inpatient healthcare facilities with diverse patient bases must incorporate multifaceted design elements. Grouping patients with similar behavioral health issues into ancillary areas allows for tailored care while providing opportunities for social interaction, rather than isolating each patient in private rooms.

At Clarus, we understand the unique requirements of behavioral health facilities. Our custom glass boards are designed to enhance communication between healthcare providers and patients while ensuring safety and functionality. Here’s how Clarus can help:

Tailored Communication Tools

They provide a medium for healthcare providers to communicate treatment plans, schedules, and essential information clearly and effectively. Patients can also use these boards for creative expression, aiding in their therapeutic process.

Safety and Durability

The non-porous glass prevents the absorption of bacteria and viruses, making it easy to clean and maintain a hygienic environment, crucial for patient health and safety. Additionally, Clarus boards are made from tempered glass, which is significantly stronger than regular glass. This durability ensures that the boards are not easily broken, maintaining the safety of patients and reducing the risk of injury.

Aesthetically Pleasing and Easy to Maintain

Our glass boards offer a sleek and modern design that enhances the therapeutic ambiance of healthcare facilities. They are easy to clean and maintain, ensuring a hygienic environment crucial for patient care.

Clarus is committed to supporting these design goals with our innovative glass boards, which combine functionality with safety. To learn more about how Clarus can enhance your behavioral health facility, visit www.clarus.com.