WakeMed seeks permission to build a new Garner Hospital, a new 150-bed mental health hospital :: WRAL.com
WakeMed is seeking approval from the State of North Carolina to build a 150-bed mental health hospital and a 45-bed acute care hospital.
On Monday, WakeMed executives announced they would be filing two certificates of need (CON) with the state.
“These projects reflect our community-wide commitment to providing individuals and families across the region with better access to the right health care in the right health care facilities,” said Donald Gintzig, President and CEO of the management of WakeMed Health and Hospitals, in a press release.
WakeMed said that in addition to unprecedented community growth, area hospital emergency departments and mental health facilities continue to see a dramatic increase in the number of adults and children with seizures. mental health and addiction. Since the start of the pandemic, WakeMed said its emergency departments have seen a 25% increase in such diagnoses, an increase of 40,000 visits per year.
“We know our region will continue to grow. It’s a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Gintzig said. “We need to plan today to meet the needs of an even larger community in the future. These two new facilities will help us do that.
WakeMed previously received 50 mental health beds from the state, and with Monday’s CON filing, it is asking for 100 more. According to WakeMed, the location of the mental health hospital is likely in eastern Wake County. WakeMed executives hope to begin construction in fall 2024 and open in 2027, pending state approval.
The proposed Garner Hospital would be located at White Oak Road and Timber Drive East. Pending state approval, WakeMed would begin groundbreaking work in fall 2024 and open in 2027.
“As the pandemic has taken a toll on families in our community, we quickly realized that a 50-bed mental health hospital is not enough,” Gintzig said. “Mental health touches every life and there is a collective understanding that we need to take action to both eliminate the stigma around mental health and support our growing population.
“While the new facility is a WakeMed entity, it will be part of our entire community’s concerted effort to provide more abundant and specialized mental health and addictions care and services to residents of our region.
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