NYSPI Inpatient Services

The New York State Psychiatric Institute has three inpatient units, two of which are dedicated to providing care for individuals who are enrolled in research studies (the Eating Disorder Unit and the General Clinical Research Unit), and one of which provides clinical care to residents of upper Manhattan who have a severe mental illness and need inpatient treatment (Washington Heights Community Service Inpatient Unit).


Inpatient Research Units

The General Clinical Research Unit (GCRU) and the Eating Disorder Unit provide treatment for individuals who agree to participate in research studies. Our philosophy is to make volunteering for research a rewarding experience on the path to recovery from illness. We are dedicated to providing each subject with the best possible clinical treatment during the time he or she is participating in a research protocol, as well as any needed treatment upon the completion of the protocol prior to discharge.

  • The GCRU (also known as 4 South) is a 22-bed unit that admits individuals who are participating in research studies involving substance use disorders, psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, and affective disorders (primarily depression).

  • The Eating Disorder Unit (also known as 4 Center) is a 12-bed unit that admits individuals with eating disorders, both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, who are enrolled in protocols generated and run by the Department’s eating disorders group. Upon admission, each patient receives a thorough diagnostic evaluation of his or her psychiatric and medical condition. The clinical and research staff associated with the research units will do their best to address any concerns a research subject may have the protocol that individual is participating in, and individuals are free to withdraw from a protocol at any time.

There are never any charges to individuals or to their insurance for the research or clinical phases of the hospital stay on the two research units, though there may be charges to insurance, if it is available, for general medical tests or consultation by other medical specialists that are not part of the research. Moreover, these beds operate independently of any length of stay limitations, including any necessary inpatient treatment following the completion of a protocol.


Washington Heights Community Service (WHCS) Inpatient Unit

The WHCS Inpatient Unit is a clinical unit which has 21 beds and is located on 5 South at NYSPI. It is part of the Washington Heights Community Service of New York State Psychiatric Institute, which provides inpatient and outpatient services for people with severe mental illness who live in the Washington Heights and Inwood communities in northern Manhattan. All services are available in Spanish and English. For more information, please visit the WHCS page.


Our Facility

Our inpatient units at NYSPI feature a mix of comfortably furnished double and single rooms. There are offices for individual meetings with doctors and other clinicians, and ample, sunny common rooms for group activities and therapeutic programs, dining, recreation and relaxation. The staff on each unit includes psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, occupational and recreational therapists, and other specialized clinicians for particular research and treatment programs. Senior faculty members who are experts in a variety of psychiatric disorders participate in the treatment of patients. Care of general medical problems requiring immediate attention is provided by faculty in all most specialties from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.