MetroHealth to redeploy employees, close psychiatric emergency department

CLEVELAND — MetroHealth System is moving employees from its Psychiatric Emergency Department in Cleveland Heights to help across the community after announcing that the department will close on Dec. 31.

According to the health system, 35 employees will move to meet growing patient needs elsewhere. 

MetroHealth said the move follows the Cuyahoga County Council vote last month, which directed $7 million in funding toward the construction of a new behavioral health crisis center, which will be operated by The Centers. According to a news relase, $4 million that MetroHealth receives annually from the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County is expected to go toward The Centers for the crisis center operations.

The health system said a duplication of services offered by the new crisis center and reduced funding led to the decision to close the unit.

“Let me reassure you, we are not walking away,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager. “We are committed to providing a continuum of behavioral health services and access across Cuyahoga County, and we are reimagining what that looks like for our health system.”

The county released a statement addressing the closure, disagreeing with MetroHealth’s assertion that Cuyahoga County was responsible for the closure.

“This is an internal operational and financial decision made by MetroHealth’s leadership. Their challenges are not the result of the County’s investment, and we are disappointed that MetroHealth is trying to shift the blame to the County and external partners,” the county said in its statement. “In fact, MetroHealth had indicated in prior conversations to County administration that their Psych ED model was struggling from a financial and operational perspective since it opened.”

MetroHealth opened its Psych ED in Oct. 2024 following the closure of St. Vincent Charity Community Health Center’s psychiatric emergency services unit. The health center operates a stand-alone behavioral health hospital next to the Cleveland Heights Medical Center that opened in 2022.

Alexander-Rager said the health system “looks forward to working with county leadership on analyzing the behavioral health continuum of care that will best serve patients and the community.”

Virtual and in-person behavioral health services are available via MetroHealth across the county, including MetroHealth’s Emergency Departments at its Main Campus and facilities in Brecksville, Parma and Cleveland Heights. MetroHealth also provides services in the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center.

“Cuyahoga County remains focused on strengthening, not weakening, the behavioral health system by investing in prevention, treatment and long-term recovery services across multiple providers,” Cuyahoga County said in its statement. “We will continue working with all willing partners to ensure residents have access to the care they need, when and where they need it, and we hope that MetroHealth joins us in this effort.”