Haynes and Oakley provided project design services for the development of an Inpatient Mental Health Center at CHOC Children’s Hospital of Orange County. The project was groundbreaking as the 18-bed mental health inpatient facility is the only facility in Orange County to offer inpatient services to children younger than 12 and one of only a few in the country. It will be the only center in California to have a private room for each patient with the option to have parents room in.
The unit is composed of three age appropriate 6-bed clusters and includes a central neighborhood area that houses, dining, activity, multi-purpose rooms and a classroom. A vibrantly colored outdoor playground offers the patients the ability to enjoy an engaging and soothing atmosphere in the sunshine and fresh air. Safety was an important part of the center’s design as was creating a non-institutional environment that is bright, lively, and also calming. Haynes and Oakley oversaw all aspects of the project from the programming to design and through the completion of construction administration, OSHPD occupancy and CDPH licensing.