Less than five years after its opening, Christ Hospital is shutting down its behavioral health outpatient program for adults on March 15.
The services include a partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient treatment and some individual medication management, according to James Buechele, a spokesperson for the hospital. Outpatient care allows patients to continue living in their homes or working while receiving mental health treatment.
“Our outpatient programs are designed so you don’t have to put your life on hold during treatment,” Christ Hospital’s website reads.
The outpatient clinic is staffed by clinical therapists, nurse practitioners and psychiatrists, but Buechele declined to tell The Enquirer how many staff – or patients – will be affected by the program closing.
He said that “a small number of staff were affected by this transition and will be offered the opportunity to evaluate other positions within the Health Network.”
When asked about the reason behind the closure, Buechele provided the following statement: “As with all organizations, The Christ Hospital Health Network frequently examines its portfolio of offerings based on utilization of programs. We will be allocating these program resources to other areas of care with higher demand.”
The Enquirer asked Buechele for additional clarification on his statement, but he declined to comment further.
Mental health has been a ‘top priority’ for the hospital since 2016
Christ Hospital identified mental health and access to care as top priorities in its Community Health Needs Assessments from 2016, 2019 and 2022.
The Outpatient Behavioral Health Program, which opened in 2019, aimed to provide the community with an outpatient program that the hospital described as “much-needed.”
Another goal was to reduce the number of patients being readmitted to hospitals and emergency departments.
“An increasing number of patients with mental health conditions are seeking treatment in emergency departments and other venues that are not ideally equipped to address the specific concern related to mental health,” a hospital report from 2020 says.
Demand for mental health care in Ohio soars, mental health professionals ‘stretched to their limit‘
There was a 353% rise in demand for behavioral health services in Ohio from 2013 to 2019, according to Meredith Poynter, Southwest Hub Director for the Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition.
“Demand rose sharply in 2020-21 and is anticipated to rise further by 2030,” Poynter told The Enquirer through email.
Despite this, half of adults with mental illness in Ohio received no treatment in 2022, according to Mental Health America.
Part of the problem is that behavioral health providers, who Poynter described as “stretched to their limit,” have not been able to keep up with the upsurge in patients seeking care. Over 60% of Ohio mental health providers said their wait times got longer between August and October 2021.
“Even in Greater Cincinnati, the capacity to serve everyone who needs it is limited,” said Poynter. “A significant reason for this is the shortage of behavioral health professionals to provide these services.”
In October 2023, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services announced a comprehensive plan to help retain and grow the state’s mental health workforce.
Cincinnati residents have higher rates of poor mental health than the rest of Ohio and the country, according to the Cincinnati Health Department. A 2023 survey conducted by the department found that half of all respondents identified mental health as the health issue that was most urgent for them and their families.
Poynter directed anyone seeking mental health or addiction services to contact their health insurance to find a provider, or the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services at 1-800-720-9616.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, also provides free and confidential support for those in distress.