New behavioral hospital opens its doors in Salmon Creek, off I-205 corridor
VANCOUVER — In 2016, over 1,100 people committed suicide in the state of Washington, according to the American Association of Suicidology.
That equates to a suicide death, every eight hours.
Behavioral health hospital, Rainier Springs resolves to change that. Opening its doors this past Wednesday, the Salmon Creek-based facility will specialize in mental health and addiction treatment for adults in Clark County.
“It used to be you put this behavioral health program in the basement of your hospital, or move
it to some old wing of the hospital,” said Gary Petersen, the newly appointed CEO of Rainier Springs. “And now, we are really looking at the fact that people need a space that’s respectful.”
Petersen explained that Rainier Springs is a 72 bed facility focused on treating mental illness, addiction and co-occurring disorders through creative and respectful methods.
The company hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony last week, at the new facility. Hundreds of guests from from the community as well as industry professionals, toured the building and experienced components of various treatments.
In addition to the regular modalities of medication management and group therapy, Rainier Springs will employ yoga therapy, pet therapy, art therapy, music therapy, exercise programs, and a virtual program called COGNIT, in which patients can experience different scenarios, Petersen said.
The holistic approach to care will also include varying levels of treatment. Inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs will be offered, Petersen said.
A specialized unit for active duty service men and women, first responders, and veterans, will also be offered. PTSD will be among its main treatment specialties.
“We saw an opportunity in behavioral health,” said Earl Reed, chairman of the board and founder of Springstone, the parent company to Rainier Springs. “This part of healthcare is so increasing in demand and need, you can’t pick up a newspaper today without seeing some mental health issues.”
Reed and his business partner, Jill Force, officially co-founded Springstone in 2010, with the mission of providing mental health services to the most underserved regions of the country.
“I think everybody has a situation in their family, where to one degree or another they have been negatively affected by addiction or mental health issues,” said Jill Force, co-founder, EVP and chief administrative officer of Springstone. “What we try to do as an organization is to be constantly on the lookout for the next big answer.”
Rainier Springs plans to partner with existing service care providers in Clark County. This will occur specifically when patients step down into outpatient programs, said Petersen.
“Our goal is really to try an make an impact,” Petersen said. “Partnering with the providers that have been here established, really trying to see what gaps we can fill to able to provide that access to people who really need that care.”
With Rainier Springs still pending licensing approval to operate a medical facility, via the state, the company’s official start date will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information on Rainier Springs, visit their website or Facebook page.
For more information on suicide prevention and statistics, visit the University of Washington’s Forefront Suicide Prevention website.
