Insights & Solutions

The program will then focus on addressing the apparent conflicts by identifying some of the alleged conflicts.  Each conflict will then be discussed in detail looking at current code requirements, changes in more recent editions of the applicable codes, and looking at equivalencies or alternative methods that could be considered.  As with other design considerations, involvement of all the stakeholders will be illustrated as a key factor in achieving an acceptable level of life safety while meeting the needs of the patients and clinical staff in a behavioral health environment.  

Children’s Health Dallas teamed up with Philips and Recornect to create and pilot new ED exam rooms to improve the experience of receiving mental health care in the Emergency Department. By integrating a specialized interactive touchscreen with ambient room technology and therapeutic content, ED exam rooms are transformed into ultra-tunable environments that can help improve care delivery. Patients can rapidly de-escalate, begin therapy faster, and connect with staff in new ways. This webinar will tell the story of their design process, patient outcomes and valuable lessons learned.

 This webinar delves into the critical role sound plays in promoting a healthy environment and considers important questions to ask when designing or updating environments for people as they age. The speakers will also share insights gleaned from their applied research to promote health and wellbeing for aging populations (especially those with dementia) and their caregivers. Stay tuned!  

This webinar will discuss what we need to do in the built environment to promote brighter days and darker nights. The presenter will share the latest research in light science and will show examples of applications where a robust 24-hour light and dark scheme in numerous environments improved sleep, mood, and behavior in various older adult populations.  

Due to this increased demand and wide acceptance of telemental health services, design and construction solutions need to adapt to the mass adoption of this platform. This webinar examines how behavioral health facilities can prepare for the future of mental healthcare delivery.  

This webinar offers a case study of IU Health Bloomington Hospital. One of the main challenges of this project was creating a flexible space that was safe and secure, but highly focused on hospitality and positive patient environments. This team discussed the ideal vision for the unit with the client and through intentional communication and focused listening, a plan was developed by the staff which Guidon implemented into a program space and floor plan. Using 3D modeling and mock-up, the team developed a thorough understanding of the integrated case work.

It reflects the coordinated and on-going efforts of a team of individuals to advance it from its initial stage -- as an AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community white paper to push for revisions to the Americans’ with Disabilities Act – to a two-phase, comparative analysis study of elders living in nursing homes, and then to efforts to get the results included in revised codes and guidelines.  

This webinar will tell the story of the path of this remarkable project from strategic planning through occupancy. Presenters will illustrate the ways in which the siting and design of the building breaks down the stigma associated with mental illness.  

This webinar will review two separate behavioral health units, one constructed with typical acoustical ceiling tile panels and one with a new acoustic gypsum wallboard ceiling assembly with a similar noise reduction coefficient. A comparison of these two facilities’ acoustic testing results will be discussed along with security concerns, owner requirements, and possible design solutions for this particular sector of healthcare design.  

This webinar will share research and case studies that explore how design can be used as a tool complementing therapeutic protocols to reduce patient stress and aggression on pediatric mental health units.