Outbreak Investigations in the Behavioral Health Unit

Session Description: Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) settings are generally communal in nature with shared spaces and increased safety risks due to the population, creating additional considerations for infection prevention recommendations. Caregivers in BHU settings often have robust training in mental health care but may be lacking in medical expertise and physical assessment skills, which may require additional training and education related to infection prevention practices. In this interactive workshop, participants will delve into best practices for managing outbreaks of gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses, challenges with personal protective equipment (PPE) safety and disposal, and hand hygiene compliance within BHU settings, including the distinct needs of pediatric in comparison to adult populations. Through an engaging case study based approach, we will explore effective strategies for developing and implementing transmission-based precautions, hand hygiene, and outbreak investigation policies and procedures tailored to the unique challenges of behavioral health environments.

Participants will work in small groups to analyze and respond to evolving scenarios in the style of a tabletop exercise. As new information, such as laboratory results, become available, participants will adapt their response to transmission-based precautions, milieu management, and outbreaks accordingly. To enhance learning, presenters will share the related policies and procedures developed at their own institutions, providing valuable insights and real-world examples. The workshop will cover several critical topics specific to inpatient behavioral health settings, including standard and transmission-based precautions, managing milieu and shared spaces, ensuring patient and employee safety, maintaining patient and staff compliance, and effective patient cohorting.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of how to develop and implement effective infection prevention mitigation strategies, with an emphasis on PPE, hand hygiene, and outbreak investigations, tailored to the needs of behavioral health units.