State Board In Nashville Approves New Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital

  • Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Members of the board of the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency in Nashville on Wednesday unanimously approved a new $25 million Behavioral Health Hospital planned by Erlanger Health Systems on Holzclaw Avenue.  

Parkridge Valley Hospital and CADAS had opposed the issuance of Certificate of Need. 

The 88-bed facility will provide "acute adult inpatient psychiatric, geriatric psychiatric, chemical dependency and children and adolescent services in distinct units designed to address their unique needs. This project will also continue to support services to minorities, low-income individuals, TennCare and Medicare enrollees and those in need of emergency involuntary hospitalization." 

Erlanger's Joe Winick said the facility should be open by the end of next year.

Parkridge Valley officials had said, "The Erlanger project fails to meet the applicable criteria of need, economic feasibility and contribution to the orderly development of health care facilities and services. CON should be denied." 

Paul Fuchcar of CADAS said it opposes the inclusion of 22 beds for substance abuse and chemical dependency treatment. He said there are already sufficient options for that need locally. He also questioned the economic feasibility of the project and said there is already a documented shortage of health care facilities to work in such treatment centers in the Greater Chattanooga area.

Mr. Winick said, "We were surprised to see their opposition when many mental health patients in desperate need of care spend days waiting in the emergency department for placement.  Most available beds are filled and/or other providers are unable or unwilling to serve those in need.  There is a great need for behavioral health and chemical dependency services in this region."

Mr. Winick said it will be operated by Acadia Health of Nashville and will be a taxpaying entity. 

It will follow Erlanger's procedure of accepting those without the means to pay, he said. 

The City Council recently unanimously approved rezoning for the facility. The location is on six acres across from the Chattanooga Housing Authority.

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