ECU Health partners with Acadia Healthcare to build new behavioral healthcare hospital

ECU Health and Acadia Healthcare recently partnered up as they undertake the building of a new behavioral health hospital in Greenville, North Carolina. It will offer thorough and intensive treatments for people of all ages who struggle with a variety of mental health disorders.

According to the press release, in the past three years, national data indicates a growing trend of depression and anxiety symptoms. This partnership demonstrates a commitment to address these mental illnesses and substance use disorders, normalizing and treating them with the appropriate approaches.

A member of the North Carolina Department of Health, Kody H. Kinsley said the state has been focusing on partnership plans for increasing access to behavioral health services, especially in areas like Greenville where more health inequality exists.

“Too many people, including children, in North Carolina get stuck in emergency departments when they urgently need short-term and high-quality behavioral health care,” Kinsley said. “This new hospital will create lasting change in this region by making behavioral health services easier to access when and where they are needed.”

“Too many people, including children, in North Carolina get stuck in emergency departments when they urgently need short-term and high-quality behavioral health care,” Kinsley said. “This new hospital will create lasting change in this region by making behavioral health services easier to access when and where they are needed.”

According to the press release on November 1, ECU Health and Acadia Healthcare held a ceremony to celebrate the start of construction of the new hospital. The event occurred on the site of the new hospital located at 2820 MacGregor Downs Road in Greenville, according to the release.

According to The Commonwealth fund’s national data, around 160 million Americans live in areas with mental health professional shortages, with over 8,000 more professionals needed to ensure enough supply. Dr. Michael Waldrum, a chief executive officer of ECU Health and dean of Brody School of Medicine believes the partnership will be beneficial in slowly chipping away at the seemingly ever present issue of the shortage of mental health resources in North Carolina.

“The shortage of mental health resources is a critical challenge in North Carolina,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum. “We are pleased construction is underway for our new behavioral health hospital, and this moment marks another milestone in our effort to improve access to behavioral health care for the region. It will provide the hope and healing residents of Greenville and the surrounding communities need when dealing with complex behavioral health issues.”

According to chief executive officer of Acadia Healthcare, Chris Hunter, the new hospital will be extremely beneficial in increasing the community's access to behavioral health services and care. Through this partnership, behavioral health issues will be normalized and treated with the best possible care.

Hunter said the hospital will be an important fixture in the Greenville community and will be a great collaborator and a source of hope for residents and patients.

“This new hospital will provide North Carolinians with expanded access to quality behavioral health services and treatment from specialized clinical teams in a carefully designed environment,” Hunter said. “We are so proud to be affiliated with ECU Health, working together to address the strong need in this area and building upon their legacy and commitment to behavioral health services.”

Furthermore, according to the press release, the new hospital will serve as a teaching hospital for psychiatry, social work, nursing and other behavioral health professionals. This will address the shortage of clinical behavioral healthcare professionals in the area, training students and residents from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, many of whom will go on to practice in eastern North Carolina and carry forth ECU Health’s mission to improve the health and well-being of the region.

According to the press release, construction is planned to begin in 2023. The hospital will include 24 inpatient beds specifically for children and adolescents with behavioral health needs. These beds will be the first of their kind in ECU Health’s 29-county service area and the only child and adolescent beds within 75 miles of Greenville, North Carolina.

“This hospital will be a tremendous resource for our patients and our state, and we’re thrilled to bring a partner and a national leader like Acadia to eastern North Carolina,” Michael Waldrum said. “Acadia has an established track record of providing high-quality, compassionate care in communities across the country. Together, we will strengthen our level of expertise, implement proven best practices and enhance the quality and number of behavioral health services available to patients throughout the region.”