PrairieCare, a division of Newport Healthcare, is one of the fastest-growing psychiatric health systems in the United States. To address the surging need for inpatient psychiatric services, they received authorization from the Minnesota Legislature to add 30 mental health and substance use disorder beds to their Brooklyn Park, MN, hospital. The 30,000-SF expansion project enables PrairieCare to serve an additional 1,000 children and young adults each year. The project also includes active and passive milieus, patient care stations, consultation and examination rooms, classrooms, indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, and patient welcome rooms. Our team also built out staff offices, a fitness room and a breakroom in the existing hospital.
Ryan partnered with PrairieCare to construct the expansion in less than 12 months, ultimately delivering the project three weeks early. Understanding the critical nature of this work, we collaborated with trade partners, suppliers and consultants to advance the schedule, knowing that every day saved in the construction timeline could also save a life.
During the project, the acquisition of PrairieCare by Newport Healthcare inspired numerous changes, including the shift from double-patient rooms for children in the west wing to single-patient rooms for young adults. Ryan and our partners quickly pivoted to accommodate these modifications.
Inpatient work within a live mental health environment offers unique challenges to navigate. In addition to carefully managing noise, dust and disruptions, our team addressed heightened security requirements to keep patients, staff and visitors safe. We worked closely with PrairieCare staff to ensure we clearly communicated scheduled construction activities and understood the needs of patients and caregivers, making them our highest priority. Through the successful delivery of this project, the Ryan team has made a positive difference in the lives of people working towards mental health recovery.
