Mercy Fitzgerald closes inpatient psychiatric unit
Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital recently closed its 21-bed inpatient psychiatric unit due to operational and financial challenges.
After closing the unit Oct. 26, the hospital, owned by Trinity Health, released a statement through its spokeswoman, Mary Wascavage.
"We know that many people in Delaware County have relied on Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital for behavioral health services," the statement read. "While there is a need for these services in our community, operational and financial challenges make it difficult for us to continue doing so.
"After exhausting all available options, we made the difficult but necessary decision to close our inpatient behavioral health unit," it concluded. "We are committed to helping our patients find the care they need and will work closely with community providers to ensure a smooth transition."
The inpatient psychiatric unit was established at the 178-bed hospital in 1977. Mercy Fitzgerald itself has been open at its 1500 Lansdowne Ave., Darby, location since 1933 and now serves more than 186,000 patients each year from Delaware County and Southwest Philadelphia.
Delaware County officials declined comment, referring inquiries to Mercy Fitzgerald. The Pennsylvania Department of Health did not respond to a request for comment.
Behavioral health services have been a critical issue for Delaware County.
When the county was considering placing housing for those with mental health service needs on the Delco Woods property in April, some county council members addressed the situation .
"We desperately need mental health services in Delaware County and we need places to have this," County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor said at the time.
Councilman Kevin Madden, who also serves as chairman of the county's Jail Oversight Board, spoke of how many who need mental health services wind up at the jail instead.
"We have people who are in jail who shouldn't be in jail," Madden said at the time. "They're people who had unchecked, untreated mental health problems and it got out of control."
He spoke of the need to address this.
"It's also really important that people who are dealing with untreated mental health needs and are not getting that, we need to help them," Madden added. "They are finding their way into places where they're not getting the support that they need."
In June, county council decided to abandon the idea of long-term structured residences for those with mental health issues on the Delco Woods property after great public outcry . They said at the time that the buildings there at the former Don Guanella property were not suitable and the renovations would be costly. They said they would continue to look for an alternative.
They said they had looked at 25 other sites in the last three years and had yet to identify a suitable one to address the mental health crisis.
When Crozer Health announced its decision to revamp Delaware County Memorial Hospital in September 2022, it had talked about turning it into a behavioral health facility .
At the time, Crozer had planned to open a 100-bed behavioral health service unit there with a crisis care unit, inpatient acute psychiatric care, acute detox/rehabilitation and geropsychiatry/senior behavioral health. The intent was to open it by spring 2023.
At that time, Crozer Health CEO Anthony Esposito spoke of how Crozer Health determined that such a facility was needed.
"What is the best use of that asset?" he said they asked. "What does the county need that we can provide there? Behavioral health crises in this state and in the country has been exacerbated by COVID-19."
He said the system was also considering allocating a floor for child and adolescent behavioral health services.
The closure of emergency services as well as maternal and operating room services at Delaware County Memorial Hospital was also met with wide public opposition.
Lawsuits were filed, spearheaded by the Foundation for Delaware County, and Crozer's plans stopped.
However, those lawsuits have been suspended as Crozer Health's parent company, Prospect Medical Holdings Inc., moves forward with a sale to CHA Partners LLC.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry on Oct. 30 announced that her office has filed suit against Prospect over "years of mismanagement, corporate looting, and the neglect of the hospital system, it's patients and its staff."
The AG's office will also ask the courts to appoint a receiver to oversee Crozer Health's finances, and to make sure the entity is sold.
Crozer Health does have inpatient psychiatric services at its 301 W. 15th St., Chester, location and also offers a full range of mental health services, providing emergency care, outpatient counseling and inpatient psychiatric treatment with psychiatrists, advanced practice professionals and social workers.
While not in Delaware County, Main Line Health also offers inpatient behavioral care at Bryn Mawr Hospital, which includes acute stabilization, crisis intervention and dual diagnosis treatment for individuals with behavioral health and substance use disorders.
