New EmPATH mental health program from Emplify at Gundersen is building special unit, to provide service to patients

A newly-introduced mental health treatment program at Gundersen in La Crosse is preparing a special site for those services, within the Behavioral Health building on 7th Street.

Emplify Health by Gundersen is constructing the EmPATH site in a 5000 square foot area, which has been set aside for future development since that building opened in 2012. Exam rooms, a waiting area, and other features of the EmPATH unit are scheduled to be open for use by early next year, according to Josh Court, the director of behavioral health for Emplify.

The EmPATH facility at Gundersen would be the first of its kind for mental health treatment in Wisconsin, although there are 40 other similar units in use around the country. A goal of EmPATH programs is to provide quick treatment that does not require a long hospital stay, allowing a patient to be released within 24 hours.

Some of the rooms where patients will go are expected to include special colors or sounds, and may be decorated with outdoor scenes, such as a beach or a mountain.