Fourth Design and Health Symposium: Transforming Mental Health Care through Design
Online
Presented by the Master of Healthcare Design Program at Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Date: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 , 4:00 - 7:00 pm US Eastern
Registration Fee: $60 for individuals; $120 for groups (up to 3); Free to CAED faculty and students
Payment Link: https://commerce.cashnet.com/caeda
CEUs Available: AIA, EDAC
The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in five individuals experience one type of mental illness. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a sharp increase in anxiety and depression cases in 2020 (WHO). Due to the potential safety risks to staff and patients (e.g., self-harm, suicide) in mental health facilities, interventions for safety of patients and staff, which is of utmost importance, should be holistic, with the physical environment as a primary contributing component. Examples of the role of the physical environment include but are not limited to layout design and visibility, lighting fixtures, ceiling systems, mirrors, and hardware. While prioritizing physical safety is a critical starting point in mental health facilities, it should not be the only focus or endpoint. Enhancing healthcare experience and actively empowering patients can be achieved by designing therapeutic environments that promote personal empowerment and preserve patient dignity. Therapeutic design involves creating environments that contribute to patients’ healing process and enhance psychological well-being through environmental design that reduces stress using light, color, and sensory elements. This symposium gathers professionals in allied fields who can offer insight into the betterment of mental health facilities. Open to healthcare providers, architects, and designers, this symposium will explore how design can help streamline and improve upon the delivery and efficacy of mental health care, leading to improvements in healing, safety, and experience of patients and staff.
Overall learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the mental and mental health facilities and users
- Recognize the role of the design in supporting or hindering safety and therapeutic experience within the mental health facilities
- Identify design solutions to overcome challenges in mental health facilities along with challenges to their implementation
- Identify the current evidence-based design practices and recommendations for mental health facilities
SPEAKERS
Peter D. Mills Ph.D., MS.: Psychologist, NCPS Field Office
Title of Presentation: Inpatient Mental Health Safety and Design: Building in healing and safety
Bio: Dr. Mills is Professor of Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He has been a clinician and therapist in inpatient and community mental health settings for over 35 years. He conducts research in suicide prevention, patient safety, and quality improvement, authoring over 130 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He led the development of the Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist which has helped to significantly reduce the rate of inpatient suicide on mental health unit in VA Hospitals. He has worked as a consultant and subject-matter expert for inpatient suicide prevention and design for the past 15 years.
Shary Adams, AIA, ACHA, EDAC, LEED AP: Mental and Behavioral Health Practice Co-Leader, CannonDesign
Title of Presentation: Moving Upstream – A case for a more proactive approach to mental healthcare looking at community, residential and rehabilitative care
Bio: Access to adequate mental healthcare and resources is one of the most pressing crises facing the world. Shary has committed her career to helping organizations expand their mental health services as well as develop new strategies and innovations that improve treatment for those in need. With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare design and leading integrated teams, Shary excels in getting laser-focused on a problem and defining the best possible solutions. She has shared her expertise in national media outlets and spoken about mental healthcare at domestic and global conferences.
Stephen Parker, AIA NCARB: Senior Associate, Stantec
Title of presentation: Design Strategies for Inpatient Mental Health Typologies
Bio: Consulting on projects from the Arctic to Auckland, Stephen Parker is a proponent of “architect as advocate”, elevating mental health through design. A Behavioral Health Planner with Stantec, he has served as the youngest architect elected to the AIA Strategic Council & co-convener of the AIA Mental Health + Architecture Incubator. A collaborative researcher & accomplished designer with recognitions from organizations such as the AIA, Healthcare Facilities Symposium, NextCity, FastCo, Healthcare Design Magazine & ENR.
Presently, Stephen is an Associate Director for the Design in Mental Health Network in the UK, Design Chair for the DC Building Industry Association, and a US representative to the International Union of Architects’ Public Health Group.
In his personal time, Stephen can be found building a three-generation home with his wife Carrie or volunteering abroad, most recently in Kenya & India as a medical planner, designing hospitals for local NGOs.
HOST & ORGANIZER
Sara Bayramzadeh, PH.D., M.ARCH : Healthcare Design Program Coordinator and Elliot Professor
Bio: Dr. Sara Bayramzadeh, Ph.D., M.Arch. is the Coordinator and Elliot Professor in the Master of Healthcare Design program at Kent State University. Dr. Bayramzadeh’s research focuses on interdisciplinary efforts to enhance healthcare outcomes through effective environmental design. She has extensive experience with complex healthcare environments such as psychiatric units, operating rooms design, and trauma room designs. Safety and efficiency are the primary healthcare outcomes she investigates. Her research also looks at opportunities to bridge academia and practice for design solutions derived from research and actively looks for ways to promote research in the design practice.