HMC Holds Dedication Ceremony for Behavioral-health Renovations

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center recently held a dedication ceremony for renovations to the inpatient Behavioral Health unit of the hospital, which were made in memory of Ingrid “Kim” Morse. During the ceremony a plaque was unveiled, which will reside on the unit.

“I want to thank everyone at the hospital for how great my mother was cared for here at Holyoke Medical Center. We wanted to make sure memorial donations and contributions came back and benefited current and future patients,” said Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Kim’s son. “My mother was passionate about making sure that folks with substance-abuse issues and psychiatric issues were taken care of, given that it is so stigmatized in our culture and society. Whatever we can do while we are still on this earth to help people understand the impact of mental health is something that we want to continue to do.”

A fund in memory of Kim Morse was created at the request of the Morse family after her unexpected death in January 2018, which received more than $5,000 in contributions. The renovations included removing wallpaper and painting the unit in calming purple colors, which happened to be Kim’s favorite color, as well as the purchase of behavioral-health safety chairs. In addition to the renovations, some of the funds were utilized for dialectical behavioral therapy training for members of the staff. This training helps psychiatric team members work with patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and to assist patients in continuing to utilize the skills learned in their own community-based dialectical behavioral therapy.

“The renovations provided by the generous contributions in Kim’s memory are greatly appreciated. It has made the unit look really, really pretty and comforting to the patients,” said Melissa Perry, director of Behavioral Health Services at Holyoke Medical Center. “The training to our staff is incredibly important to reinforce the skills patients have already learned with their community based providers.”

Added Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems, “Holyoke Medical Center is honored to have been chosen by the Morse family and entrusted with the legacy and memory of Kim with the renovations made to the inpatient Behavioral Health unit. There is no greater compliment that could be given to our team members than to be recognized by a family after the loss of a loved one for their compassion and dedication.”