COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - COOLEY DICKINSON IS THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR HAMPSHIRE COUNTY AND SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY RESIDENTS, SERVING 80,000 UNIQUE PATIENTS EVERY YEAR. WITH THE CONGRESSIONALLY DESIGNATED FUNDS, COOLEY DICKINSON HOSPITAL WILL EXPAND AND RENOVATE THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POD TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE AVAILABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES CAN RESULT FROM MANY FACTORS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE ESPECIALLY PREVALENT AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY, SUBSTANCE USE, AND A LACK OF ACCESS TO CONSISTENT HEALTH CARE. THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, SOMETIMES PRESENTING A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS, AND THEY STAY IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS BECAUSE THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN OUR COMMUNITY FAR OUTSTRIPS THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES. THE COOLEY DICKINSON HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POD EXPANSION WILL DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY TO CARE FOR THESE PATIENTS. EACH ROOM WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 100 SQUARE FEET AND LOCATED IN AN AREA DEDICATED TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT. THIS DESIGN WILL PROVIDE A QUIETER, SAFER, AND MORE COMFORTABLE SPACE FOR PATIENTS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS AS THEY RECEIVE CARE AND PREPARE FOR DISCHARGE OR TRANSFER TO AN INPATIENT PROGRAM. EXPANDING AND RENOVATING THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POD IS CRITICAL TO PROVIDING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATIENTS WITH THE CARE THEY NEED AND DESERVE. THIS PROJECT WILL GIVE COOLEY DICKINSON THE SPACE AND EQUIPMENT TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY AND TO PREPARE FOR THE GROWING NEED PREDICTED IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE CONGRESSIONALLY DESIGNATED FUNDS ARE CRITICAL FOR IMPROVING THE CARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN ACCESS DURING EMERGENCIES.