Design in Mental Health Network – North America (DiMHN-NA) is launching as a multidisciplinary charitable network for professionals focused on advancing mental health care environments. Francis Pitts, a planner and designer of mental health facilities for more than four decades, serves as chair of DiMHN-NA.
The organization brings together clinicians, architects, designers, health systems and facilities professionals, researchers, academics, manufacturers, industry partners, and policymakers. The network was developed in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Design in Mental Health Network and the two organizations will partner to share ideas, knowledge, and resources.
DiMHN-NA’s board of directors includes Jon Sell, principal and co-lead of the mental and behavioral health practice at Stantec (treasurer); Virginia Pankey, behavioral health practice leader at HOK (secretary); and Michelle McClure, fractional chief marketing officer for the Design in Mental Health Network (UK) and Design in Mental Health – North America. Associates are Arien Cartrette, architect; Gina Livingston-Smith, senior interior designer at HDR; and Kyle Basilius, healthcare architect and principal.
As part of the launch, DiMHN-NA will host an online webinar, moderated by Pitts, titled “Working Together to Better Understand and Improve Mental Health Care Environments,” on Oct. 26. For more information on DiMHN-NA, go here.
