GREENVILLE, NC (WNCT) — ECU Health has announced a partnership with Acadia Healthcare to build a behavioral health hospital in Greenville that will be operational in the spring of 2025.
In a press release Tuesday morning, ECU announced that a state-of-the-art, 144-bed behavioral health hospital would be built in the Greenville Medical District, less than a mile from ECU Health Medical Center. It will also include 24 inpatient beds for children and adolescents with mental health needs.
ECU Health says it will be the first of its kind in ECU Health’s 29-count coverage area and the only teen beds within 75 miles of Greenville. The facility will also provide patients with “important access to behavioral health services and treatments from specialized clinical teams in a carefully designed environment,” the release states.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023, pending state and regulatory approval along with obtaining a Certificate of Need, ECU Health officials said. The hospital will be operated through a joint venture between ECU Health and Acadia.
Officials said the two organizations will invest about $65 million in expanding behavioral health resources in eastern North Carolina. ECU Health officials said it will transfer 80 of its current behavioral health beds to the new facility.
“This hospital will be a great resource for our patients and our state, and we are thrilled to bring a partner and national leader like Acadia to Eastern North Carolina,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health and Dean of East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine.
“Acadia has an established history of providing high-quality, compassionate care in communities across the country. Together, we will strengthen our level of expertise, implement proven best practices, and improve the quality and quantity of behavioral health services available to patients throughout the region.”
CLICK HERE to read more about the new behavior center
Before the pandemic, nearly one in five North Carolinians suffered from a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, according to a report of the Task Force on Mental Health and Substance Use at the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. The press release also states: “Over the past two years, national data indicates an increasing trend in symptoms of depression and anxiety. This partnership demonstrates a commitment to talking about, normalizing and treating mental health disorders with the latest science and medicine in the right care settings.”
The hospital also plans to offer teaching and training to students and residents of the Brody School of Medicine.
“As a physician, seeing this type of investment and understanding the significant impact it will have on patients is exciting,” said Dr. Syed A. Saeed, an ECU Health board-certified psychiatrist with more than 40 years of experience. “The needs of behavioral health patients differ from those of other patients and vary widely even within the same diagnosis. This state-of-the-art hospital will allow us to fully meet the unique needs of our patients in a safe, patient-centered environment and ensure physicians have the resources and training necessary to provide excellent care.”
“We are always looking for like-minded partners who share our commitment to expanding access to high-quality behavioral health services and transforming the way mental health patients are served and cared for,” said Chris Hunter, CEO of Acadia Healthcare. “Establishing a center of excellence in partnership with ECU Health presents a unique opportunity for us to support the development of the next generation of behavioral health care workers and physicians. We are excited to begin this important work with such a committed and patient-focused partner.”
For more information on the potential partnership between ECU Health and Acadia Healthcare, please visit ENCBehavioralHealth.org.
