The trustees of the Mary P. Barton Charitable Foundation paid a site visit to AJH in early December 2021 to learn more about the compassionate care we are providing to patients in mental health crisis in our emergency department (ED).

The pandemic has introduced significant challenges in serving adult and adolescent patients in mental health distress across the state, and here at AJH. The number and acuity of individuals experiencing a mental health crisis has steadily increased over the last 24 months, with levels of non-compliant and/or aggressive behaviors exhibited by patients in distress, requiring additional staff training and intervention.

AJH is grateful to the Trustees who granted a gift in the amount of $125,000 to support the training and one- to-one staff safety watches often required to keep all patients and staff safe.