SPOKANE, Wash. – that the closure of its adolescent inpatient psychiatric unit will not negatively impact the community and patients is misleading, according to the .
The WSNA said that while inpatient mental health services for adolescents are available in Spokane, the closure of the Providence Sacred Heart unit significantly reduces service availability. According to the statement, the unit specializes in treating adolescents with both mental health crises and co-occurring medical conditions, such as insulin-dependent diabetes, as well as those with autism or developmental delays—conditions that other facilities often do not accept.
The statement added that on December 2022, Sacred Heart laid off eight physicians from its psychiatric unit as part of a cost-saving measure and restructuring plan. Although the hospital promised to restore these positions, the number of patients served declined, and ongoing uncertainty about provider contracts has hindered recruitment efforts.
Providence claims financial constraints prevent it from maintaining the adolescent psychiatric unit, yet the nonprofit hospital holds a 20% stake in Inland Behavioral Health, operated by the for-profit chain Universal Health Services. Furthermore, Inland Northwest Behavioral Health’s website indicates that it accepts patients aged 13-17, which does not align with Providence’s claim of treating 12-year-olds.
WSNA said in their statement that their primary concern is for the adolescents and families who relied on the specialized care provided by the Sacred Heart adolescent psychiatry unit.
