Maimonides Medical Center to Open New Psychiatric Emergency Department

News Summary

Maimonides Medical Center is launching a new psychiatric emergency department in Borough Park, funded by a $6 million state grant. This initiative includes a Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program designed to provide immediate support for patients in crisis. The facility will operate 24/7, addressing rising demand for mental health services. Despite financial challenges related to Medicaid cuts, Maimonides aims to improve emergency and inpatient services as part of a broader effort to bolster psychiatric care across New York City.

Brooklyn

Maimonides Medical Center is set to open a new psychiatric emergency department next week in Borough Park, aimed at supporting patients in crisis. This initiative is backed by a $6 million state grant from the state Office of Mental Health, which is part of a broader $17 million fundraising effort to improve emergency and inpatient services at the facility.

The new department will include a Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program (CPEP), specifically designed for individuals experiencing severe mental health crises. The CPEP aims to act as a comprehensive gateway to long-term treatment options for patients in need. Maimonides’ new psychiatric emergency department is part of a growing recognition within the city and state to address service gaps, particularly for homeless individuals and those living in streets and subway systems.

Funding and Expansion of Services

New York City’s health systems are enhancing their psychiatric emergency capacities, with Governor Kathy Hochul allocating $39 million for this purpose in the previous year. Maimonides’ psychiatric emergency department will operate 24/7 and will be equipped to manage short involuntary psychiatric holds, provide addiction counseling, and connect patients with social services.

In a first for Maimonides, the facility will feature private rooms to create a more comfortable environment for patients. This development reflects the increasing demand for mental health services, especially in underserved areas. Over the past year, Maimonides Medical Center also received an additional $5 million to construct a 20-bed inpatient psychiatric unit for adolescents, which is currently under development.

Challenges for Safety-Net Hospitals

Maimonides Medical Center primarily functions as a safety-net hospital, catering predominantly to low-income and underinsured populations. However, the institution faces substantial funding cuts due to Medicaid reductions implemented during former President Donald Trump’s administration. Maimonides is among 18 private hospitals in New York that receive over a third of their revenue from Medicaid, which has become an unpredictable source of funding.

While Maimonides is expanding its psychiatric services, it continues to encounter financial difficulties arising from Medicaid cuts and rising operational costs. Despite operating revenue of $458 million in the first quarter of 2025, the hospital faced expenses reaching $543 million due to increasing costs related to salaries, benefits, and supplies.

Broader Context of Mental Health Initiatives

Other safety-net hospitals in New York City are also taking steps to expand their psychiatric emergency resources. For instance, Bellevue Hospital is set to receive approximately $20 million to enhance its CPEP as part of a $28 million fund dedicated to improving emergency services. Wealthier health systems, including NYU Langone and Mount Sinai, are not falling behind, with respective investments of $7 million and $8 million to expand their psychiatric emergency facilities.

As demand for mental health services continues to surge, the opening of the new psychiatric emergency department at Maimonides Medical Center represents a crucial effort to bridge existing service gaps, particularly for those at risk in the Borough Park community and beyond. The new department’s operations and the ongoing expansion of psychiatric resources across New York City underscore a significant commitment to enhancing care for individuals facing mental health crises.

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Additional Resources

• Crain’s New York: Maimonides Opens New Psychiatric Emergency Program
• Wikipedia: Mental Health
• Crain’s New York: Hyperbaric Oxygen Clinics Expand Across New York
• Google Search: Psychological Services in New York
• The New York Times: Car Crash in Brooklyn
• Google Scholar: Mental Health Services New York
• NY1: Maimonides Opens New Emergency Department in Bay Ridge
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Medical Emergency
• Crain’s New York: Maimonides Operating Losses Grow in First Quarter 2025