26 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 30-december 6, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Features of the facility include an outpatient treatment wing, which will open first, and 16 residential beds, set to open in 2024, which will become Monterey County’s first psychiatric beds specifically for youth. It will include individual, group and family treatment rooms, mediation rooms, quiet spaces and a gym, as well as outdoor recreation. It will also have classrooms and community meeting spaces, a family resource center, an amphitheater and a kitchen and dining area. Swick says there will be opportunities for youth to engage in cooking, gardening, music and art as part of the healing process. Curated art and murals are being incorporated into the spaces “which have proven to improve health outcomes, reduce lengths-ofstays, support emotional processing and self empowerment, and enhance the patient and family experience,” according to the Ohana website. Even before it opened, the campus— designed by the Seattle-based firm NBBJ, which uses research to create sustainable facilities that encourage health and wellness—won two architectural awards. In 2022, it won the Healthcare Design Award from the American Institute of Architects for best of healthcare building design, healthcare planning and healthcare design-oriented research. This year the campus was awarded the Structures Awards honor by the Silicon Valley Business Journal for innovative design that promotes healing and wellness. “The opening of the Ohana campus is a milestone in addressing the youth mental health crisis that affects 1 in 4 families in the United States,” Steven Packer, president and CEO of Montage Health and Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, said in a statement. “Youth mental health has been characterized as the public health issue of our time. Ohana exemplifies the power of philanthropy, partnerships and medical excellence and innovation to help our youth and their families turn hurt into hope,” he said. “Ohana and Monterey County represent a national model we hope others can learn from and replicate, as we connect with schools, other health care providers, and community partners to address this vital need.” Murals and artwork are spread throughout the facility. Each piece was selected using evidence-based research into its ability to help people feel at peace, and aid in healing. The Ohana campus is located on a ridge above the Highway 68 corridor in Ryan Ranch. Floor-toceiling windows facing south provide a view of the rolling hills and an oak forest located across the highway. Healing Space
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