Mental Health Unit Dedication for the Late John C. Beck, M.D.
- Posted On:
Dr. Beck was a founding member of the AVMC mental health inpatient unit.
Lancaster, CA, September 7, 2021 – Antelope Valley Medical Center dedicated the Mental Health unit in honor of Dr. John C. Beck on Tuesday September 7, 2021. Surrounded by Dr. Beck’s family, AVMC leadership, and local dignitaries, AVMC held an intimate ceremony to honor Dr. Beck for his contributions to our mental health community.
Dr. John C. Beck, M.D., a long time medical staff member of the Antelope Valley Medical Center sadly passed earlier this year. Dr. Beck is credited with starting the mental health unit within the hospital in 1971. He saw a great need, and an even greater lack of mental health services available in the Antelope Valley. Dr. Beck took immediate action, and approached the hospital to instate a local and permanent mental health unit. Today, an expert team of psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, therapists, mental health technicians, and licensed clinical social workers take an interdisciplinary approach to assemble individualized programs tailored to each patient’s specific needs.
As we recognize and dedicate the Mental Health unit in Dr. Beck’s name, we also recognize that the mental health unit has been open for 50 years. “Since starting in 1971, the mental health unit has grown to include 30 beds, 35 professional staff, and 7 physicians to assist this vulnerable population,” said Edward Mirzabegian, CEO of Antelope Valley Medical Center. “Thousands of patients have been seen right here in the Antelope Valley, due to Dr. Beck’s vision for this (mental health) unit.”
September 7th would have been Dr. Beck’s 87th birthday, and AVMC is honored to have recognized and celebrated his life achievements.
The event followed current LA County & CDC COVID restrictions established at the time of the event.
About Antelope Valley Medical Center
Antelope Valley Medical Center, the only full-service, acute-care hospital in the Antelope Valley, has been delivering exceptional care to the community since 1955. It offers the region’s onlylevel II trauma center, pediatric unit, NICU, inpatient mental health care, labor and delivery, accredited Chest Pain Center/STEMI Receiving Center, Advanced Primary Stroke Center and Comprehensive Community Cancer Center. More information is available at www.AVMC.org or by calling 661-949- 5000. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @antelopevalleyhospital
# # #
