Children’s Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit

Salas O’Brien provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), and structural engineering design services for the Connecticut Children’s Psychiatric Integrated Care Unit (IC5), a 7,300-square-foot, 12-bed inpatient facility uniquely combining behavioral and medical care for pediatric patients. The unit required a highly specialized approach to MEP and life safety systems, balancing the needs of a clinical medical environment with the strict safety protocols of behavioral health.

Our team designed robust mechanical systems with precise environmental controls—all while maintaining a low-noise, low-stimulation atmosphere conducive to mental health recovery. Electrical systems were designed to accommodate advanced lighting controls and switchable glazing to support patient privacy and staff visibility, along with integrated audiovisual infrastructure for therapeutic and deescalation tools.

The resulting facility not only meets Connecticut Children’s high standards for patient care and safety but also sets a benchmark for integrated pediatric behavioral health design in the region. As only the second facility of its kind in the Northeast, the unit represents an innovative model for integrating pediatric medical and psychiatric care.