DLR Group designed the Nebraska Medicine Psychiatric Emergency Services Unit in Omaha, Nebraska.

What started in 2019 as a way to address the huge increase in mental health and substance use visits to the emergency department, has resulted on the Nebraska Medicine Psychiatric Emergency Services Unit, focused on stabilizing patients and swiftly referring them to community partners for appropriate treatment while avoiding unnecessary inpatient admissions. The PES provides the calming and neutral environment required for mental health emergencies.

DLR Group’s design meets the demanding functional and operational need of a facility that serves patients with a wide array of various psychiatric conditions while providing a safe treatment and recovery experience. A combination of semi-private and highly supervised spaces, as well as social and individual use spaces, maximize the types of healing environments available. The use of light, material, and furniture help to define these different spaces, while also encouraging appropriate uses based on the patient’s needs.

Design: DLR Group
Photography: Kurt Johnson