BATTLE CREEK A new hospital in Battle Creek will help meet the growing demand for behavioral health services in Southwest Michigan and address the current shortage of beds for behavioral health.
Officials officially introduced Bronson Behavioral Health Hospital Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and self-guided tours. The 96-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital at Glenn Cross Road and M-66 is a joint venture between Bronson Healthcare and Acadia Healthcare.
The $35 million facility will welcome its first patients on July 18.
“As many of you know, there is a shortage of inpatient behavioral health beds in the state of Michigan,” said Bill Manns, president and chief executive officer of Bronson Healthcare. “I’m thrilled that both Acadia and Bronson are coming together to be part of that solution. This is going to change everything for us.”
The hospital will serve adult patients and offer a range of inpatient health care services, including treatment for those struggling with acute symptoms of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and PTSD.
“Our duty, our sacred trust is to care for the whole person’s mind, body and spirit, and I believe we have the basis for that to happen here,” said Dr. Jeffrey Woods, group president at Acadia Healthcare. “I know the good work done here will lay the foundation for generations to come in improving population health and community life.”
Acadia Healthcare operates a network of 250 behavioral health care facilities in 39 states and Puerto Rico and is the largest autonomous behavioral health care company in the United States
Bronson Battle Creek Hospital will move inpatient behavioral health services and staff from its Fieldstone Center, at 165 N. Washington St., to the new facility.
“Unfortunately, Fieldstone Center was an older facility that could not be developed further,” Manns explained. “However, by opening this 96-bed facility, we can continue to provide jobs in this community, we can provide care that has not hitherto been available in this community, and career growth for those employees who are a part of Bronson who were in Fieldstone coming above (here). There are so many amazing things that are the result of this wonderful building.”
The new hospital includes large spaces for patients outside their rooms, including a multitude of function rooms and spaces, an outdoor recreation area and a gymnasium.
“In this facility, patients will focus on being out of their rooms, being in a team, working with a therapist, working with the other teams to make sure they’re really working on the things they need to then transition into a level of outpatient care,” said Deb Rozewicz, CEO of Bronson Behavioral Health Hospital. “Socialization is part of that. We don’t want patients to feel isolated in their rooms. We want them to participate in therapies that will really benefit them.”
The facility comes at a time when Michigan’s behavioral health system is stretched.
“We have several outstanding mental health facilities throughout Michigan and acute care hospitals with special units for it, but the number of beds available with the right kind of care is simply not adequate to serve our 10 million people. said Laura Appel, executive vice president of government relations and public policy at the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
More than 4 million Michiganders live in an area with unmet behavioral health needs, according to Appel, and by this measure, “we’re the worst in the Midwest.”
“I want to applaud Bronson and Acadia for taking this action to construct this beautiful, beautiful building and partnering to expand access to inpatient behavioral mental health services in this region,” Appel said. “I hope others follow your lead so that all Michigan families can have access to the essential resources, services and support needed to provide the appropriate level of care for all patients.
“We’re not doing that now and we really need to get there as fast as possible.”
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
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