Mental health and wellness
Mental health is just as important as physical health, encompassing a person's emotional, psychological and social well-being. With the right diagnosis, many disorders and conditions can be treated.
Behavioral health center in Gainesville
If you believe you or someone you know is in crisis, the providers in our emergency room are trained to handle mental health emergencies and admit patients directly to our inpatient unit, if necessary.
The behavioral health specialists at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital know mental health is a key component to physical well-being. That's why we offer a continuum of psychiatric care to patients in need of behavioral health support throughout North Central Florida. Our Behavioral Health Center, located within our hospital, offers acute care for adults 18 years old and older who need 24-hour monitored mental health care.
Our behavioral treatments and services
Patients in our care have access to all the resources and amenities they need for a full recovery.
Inpatient behavioral health unit
The Behavioral Health Center is our 33-bed inpatient unit where patients can benefit from:
- Activity and group areas emphasizing patient safety and provide an open space to facilitate a therapeutic community
- Aftercare planning led by our clinical training team
- Designated dining areas
- Highly structured and therapeutic daily schedules
- Separate electroconvulsive therapy suites
- Personalized treatment plans based on the patient's needs and length of stay
Our hospital is a certified Baker Act receiving facility, which means we allow involuntary admissions if an individual poses a threat to their safety or the safety of others. We also accept voluntary patients and direct admissions.
For more information, call (352) 333-4357 (HELP).
Dedicated inpatient treatment team
Patients with mental health conditions require multidisciplinary, compassionate care from experienced behavioral medicine professionals. The Behavioral Health Center is staffed by healthcare providers who are committed to helping patients develop healthy coping for long-term success.
Our care team includes:
- Hospitalists
- Intake nurse coordinators
- Mental health technicians
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Recreational therapists
- Registered nurses
- Social workers
Outpatient mental health services
We offer outpatient care for patients who require structured behavioral health services but do not need an inpatient stay. Our outpatient programs provide intensive psychiatric care provided by board-certified psychiatrists, registered nurses and licensed therapists.
We have created a comfortable setting where patients can receive treatment for various conditions, including anxiety, depression and mood disorders. Our outpatient programs implement group therapy sessions to help patients acquire the tools and knowledge to cope with triggers and stressors in daily life effectively.
The Behavioral Health Center Outpatient Care is located across the street from our hospital's main entrance in Care Plaza West.
Outpatient behavioral health programs
Our intensive outpatient programs (IOP) are offered three days a week. Services include a comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment as well as group therapy, family and individual therapy as needed, individualized treatment planning, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, process groups, educational groups and medication management.
Our team provides treatment for:
- Crisis situations
- Depression and/or anxiety
- Difficulties at work/school
- Grief/loss issues
- Inability to sleep
- Mood swings
- Psychiatric disorders
- Relational conflict and/or trouble focusing or completing tasks
Clients are encouraged to take responsibility for his/her actions and know they will be supported by a caring, professional staff that will facilitate their growth and recovery.
Current intensive outpatient programs include:
- Adult mental health
- Young adult mental health (between 18 and 26 years old)
Individual intake assessments are available at no charge, Monday through Friday. No referral is required. We accept most major insurances and also have self-pay rates. For more information about our outpatient care, please call (352) 333-5540.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
ECT is a behavioral treatment performed while patients are under general anesthesia. During the procedure, an electric current is delivered through electrodes placed strategically on the scalp. The electric current causes the brain to induce seizure activity. The seizure alters the brain's chemistry, which may ease symptoms associated with certain mental health conditions.
Our inpatient unit and outpatient programs offer patients access to ECT. ECT is a safe and highly effective treatment that may help patients with severe depression, bipolar disorder, mania, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
ECT is intended to help those who have not been able to tolerate or have not found success in alternative treatments, such as medications. ECT is offered at our hospital three days a week.
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