Phila.gov
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A pioneering mental health program for seniors received words of gratitude from patients and elected officials Thursday.
The Behavioral Wellness Center at Girard, an innovator of mental health and substance abuse treatment services, and Monumental Post-Acute Care, a provider of short- and long-term nursing facility care, have joined forces to bring mental health services specifically for seniors.
Now known as The Behavioral Wellness Center at MPAC, the center aims to provide residents with comprehensive support for their mental health challenges, including conditions such as dementia, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
The program is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and the U.S.
“This is a group of our friends, neighbors, and family members who literally had nowhere to go,” said Dr. Valerie Arkoosh, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. “This is a need in every county in the commonwealth.”
According to Arkoosh, outside of the city, the new program has been called “The Philadelphia Model” and the state is hoping to set up more facilities like it across the state.