New state psychiatric hospital planned to address needs in Dallas-Fort Worth area
A new psychiatric hospital is slated for construction in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, intended to address concerns around psychiatric health in the state identified in 2017, according to a news release.
No location has been selected for the site of the hospital since the $44.7 million project is still in the planning stages, but a spokesperson for Texas Health and Human Services said the hospital will be placed strategically to serve the whole metroplex.
Texas HHS is working with UT Southwestern Medical Center in developing plans for the hospital, along with members of the community, according to the release. It is expected to create a state-of-the-art mental health system for the region.
“There’s a critical need for additional inpatient mental health services in the Dallas area and we’re excited to be working with UT Southwestern on this project to design a state-of-the-art hospital that meets the mental health care needs of the community,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young in the release. “A new hospital will have a major impact on our ability to provide care to the most vulnerable Texans living in the surrounding Metroplex.”
The new state hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth will address needs outlined in a 2017 report and add to the current 10-facility state network, HHS said. The hospital will primarily focus on care for adults and those involved with the justice system.
The estimated total cost and timeline of the project have yet to be determined and remaining funding is contingent on legislative approval.
“A new state hospital will be a game changer for our region,” State Sen. Jane Nelson said in the release. “Combined with over $300 million to renovate our current state hospital facilities and increase community mental health services statewide, we will significantly increase our capacity to meet Texas’ mental health care needs.”
Since 2017, the Texas Legislature has appropriated more than $1 billion in funding for the replacement, renovation or expansion of the state hospitals.
The efforts to improve mental health services also include projects in Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Kerrville and Rusk, with renovated or expanded hospitals in San Antonio and Kerrville expected to open this year, the Houston hospital in 2022 and the Austin and Rusk hospitals in 2023.