The Texas Behavioral Health Center, the first state-operated behavioral health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, has opened in the Dallas Medical District. The facility, located at 4855 Harry Hines Blvd., will provide inpatient care for adults and children with serious mental health conditions.
Facility Details
The hospital features 200 adult beds and 92 pediatric beds, with funding in part from a $261 million donation from Children’s Health. State Sen. Royce West described the new center as a “sanctuary” during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Dr. Hicham Ibrahim, a professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern, emphasized patient-centered features, saying “All of it is designed with the patient at the center of our thinking, really to get our patients to be better in the shortest amount of time possible and allow access to more beds for other patients.”
Impact on the Community
The hospital joins Texas’ network of 10 other behavioral health facilities and is part of a broader statewide effort to expand and modernize psychiatric hospitals. Officials said the new center will help serve patients closer to home and reduce strain on the criminal justice system.
UT Southwestern President Dr. Daniel Podolsky noted that “The Texas Behavioral Health Center brings together comprehensive treatment services, new models of care, and training across the behavioral health disciplines to support better outcomes for patients and families.”
Stephanie Muth, executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, stated that “HHSC is thankful to Gov. Abbott and the state Legislature for their ongoing commitment to building a stronger mental healthcare system in Texas.”
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
