A new inpatient psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents will soon begin accepting patients. State health officials say the 54-bed in Butner will provide better care and help alleviate backlogs in emergency departments around the state.
"Truly the mental health of our children and adolescents is the most pressing issue for our state and its future health," said UNC Health CEO Dr. Wesley Burks.
The hospital developed through a partnership between N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and UNC Health. It is not a new facility, rather retrofitted the R.J. Blackley Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Center.
"Too many children in North Carolina get stuck in emergency departments when they urgently need short-term and high-quality psychiatric care," said N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley. "This partnership allows us to move faster to stand-up services urgently needed today for children. We will continue to invest and build out a continuum of community-based behavioral health care that prevents, treats, and promotes lasting recovery."
Kinsley also touted an historic investment by the N.C. General Assembly this year. The state budget invests $835 million in behavioral health in the state, including $700 million to directly support Gov. Roy Cooper's behavioral health roadmap.
Dr. Samantha Meltzer-Brody, chair of the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Psychiatry, said this is the only facility in North Carolina and one of the few in the country that will have a dedicated unit for children with neurobehavioral psychiatric needs.
"We'll also be caring for patients with co-occurring addiction and substance use disorders," Meltzer-Brody said. "Again, very difficult to have those types of co-occurring disorders treated together."
The hospital needs a few final regulatory approvals, but hopes to have those in the coming weeks. UNC expects to open in a phased approach and see initial patients in about a month.