From The Orange County Register
By Courtney Perkes / Staff Writer
Rendering of a patient’s room at the CHOC children’s psychiatric unit scheduled to open in 2018.
Children’s Hospital of Orange County has received a $500,000 gift from Pacific Life Foundation to help open a first-in-the-county psychiatric unit for young patients.
In May, CHOC announced a $27 million mental health initiative that includes creating 18 inpatient psychiatric beds for children 3 to 18. Construction is underway to remodel an existing building in Orange and the unit is expected to open in early 2018, hospital officials said.
The gift from the foundation, which is the charitable arm of Newport Beach-based insurance company Pacific Life, will help fund six private rooms.
“The grant will go a long way toward helping us create a safe, nurturing environment for children and families fighting mental illness,” Jan Lansing, interim vice president of the CHOC Children’s Foundation, said in a statement.
In Orange County, an estimated 150,000 children have a mental illness and there are no inpatient beds for children under 12.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, conditions affecting children may include anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders and schizophrenia.
Additionally, many children don’t receive treatment or a prompt diagnosis.
Contact the writer: cperkes@ocregister.com 714-796-3686
