Independence Health System – Latrobe Hospital Child and Adolescent Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit

Independence Health System expanded the child and adolescent inpatient behavioral health unit at Latrobe Hospital to address the growing demand for care in the region. The 9,800-square-foot renovation consolidates services in one location while creating a safer, more supportive environment for patients ages 9-18.

The renovation required careful adaptation of an existing med/surg unit that was not originally designed for behavioral health care. Existing infrastructure, life safety requirements, and operational constraints demanded continuous coordination and flexibility, including modifications to accommodate active building systems and evolving hospital finish standards while maintaining safety requirements.

IKM worked closely with hospital leadership, clinical staff, and facilities personnel to understand program requirements and specific needs for each space. The new unit includes 13 private patient rooms, therapy and multipurpose spaces, quiet and active social areas, consultation rooms, a seclusion room, and shared back-of-house support functions designed to improve operational efficiency across adjacent behavioral health units.

Behavioral health environments require a heightened level of security, visibility, and patient safety, which guided every aspect of the design. Through stakeholder workshops, full-scale mockups, and detailed security planning, the team optimized staff sightlines, clarified security zoning throughout the unit, and developed spaces that balance patient dignity, privacy, and safety within a therapeutic environment.

The completed unit expands access to critical behavioral health services for children and adolescents in the Latrobe region while allowing Independence Health System to consolidate operations in a more efficient and modernized facility. The project creates a supportive care environment tailored to the unique needs of young patients and strengthens the hospital’s ability to respond to behavioral health demands within the community.