We’re taking important steps to bring high-quality behavioral health services to our region.
Through a joint venture with Acadia Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of behavioral health care services, we have broken ground on the future site of a 144-bed inpatient treatment facility that will open in Greenville, North Carolina in Summer 2025. This facility will include 24 inpatient beds dedicated to serving the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents – the only such beds within 75 miles of Greenville.
144
inpatient treatment facility
Over
65
million in behavioral health resources
Together, our organizations will invest over $65 million in expanding behavioral health resources by building a center of excellence that provides access to a carefully designed environment where patients of all behavioral health needs can get the specialized care they deserve.
Meeting Eastern North Carolina’s Behavioral Health Needs
Nearly 100 years ago, Pitt Community Hospital was established to serve the health care needs of Greenville and the surrounding communities. Throughout its evolution, from Pitt County Memorial Hospital to ECU Health Medical Center, the system has continued to serve an important role as eastern North Carolina’s leader in public health. Given the challenges in access to care that face our state, especially our rural communities, we have to think differently about how we’re meeting our patients’ behavioral health needs.
Pitt Memorial Hospital, Greenville, North Carolina, 1950-1959. Courtesy of ECU Digital Collections.
In 2023, Mental Health America ranked North Carolina:
- 39th out of all states for access to behavioral health care.
- 24th for youths having a higher prevalence of mental illness and a lower rate of access to care.
Prior to the pandemic, nearly one in five North Carolinians experienced a mental illness. In the past three years, the data indicates growing trends of depression and anxiety.
Through this partnership with Acadia Healthcare, we’re reinforcing our commitment to stopping the stigma against mental illnesses and substance use disorders. Behavioral health issues affect nearly every family and community, and we are committed to talking about behavioral health, normalizing it and treating it with the latest treatments, medicine and care.
Our Future Is Exciting, And Our Work to Secure It Is Ongoing.
Process Timeline
This timeline is subject to change.
About the Partnership
ECU Health is a mission-driven, 1708-bed academic health care system serving more than 1.4 million people in 29 eastern North Carolina counties. The not-for-profit system is comprised of more than 14,000 team members, nine hospitals and a physician group that encompasses over 1,100 academic and community providers practicing in over 185 primary and specialty clinics located in more than 110 locations. The flagship ECU Health Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, and ECU Health Maynard Children’s Hospital serve as the primary teaching hospitals for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. ECU Health and the Brody School of Medicine share a combined academic mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina through patient care, education and research.
For more information about ECU Health, visit ECUHealth.org.
Acadia is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services across the United States. As of September 30, 2023, Acadia operated a network of 253 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 11,100 beds in 39 states and Puerto Rico. With approximately 23,000 employees serving more than 75,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest stand-alone behavioral healthcare company in the U.S. Acadia provides behavioral healthcare services to its patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers and outpatient clinics.
For more information about Acadia, visit AcadiaHealthcare.com.
About the New Hospital
A Center of Excellence for Adults, Seniors, Children and Adolescents.
This state-of-the-art facility will be a center of excellence that provides a dedicated space for high-quality behavioral health resources. The 144-bed facility will offer comprehensive treatment for adults, seniors, children and adolescents who struggle with acute symptoms of mental health such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The creation of 24 inpatient beds dedicated to serving the mental health needs of children and adolescents is a significant step forward for behavioral health care in eastern North Carolina.
- 144-bed inpatient psychiatric care facility
- Over $65 million investment in behavioral health resources
- Comprehensive treatment for adults, seniors, children and adolescents
- Treatments for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and more
- 24 inpatient beds dedicated to children and adolescents
We are looking for providers in eastern North Carolina to join our new behavioral health hospital opening in Spring 2025. If you’re interested in speaking with a recruiter and learning more about how we’re supporting the growing need for accessible behavioral health care in our communities, please visit our behavioral health career page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers to help you learn more about our partnership with Acadia Healthcare. You can also submit a question of your own in the box to the right. We will update this page regularly to answer new questions we receive.
Overview
What is ECU Health’s joint venture with Acadia Healthcare?
In summer of 2022, ECU Health and Acadia Healthcare announced the formation of a joint venture to build a brand new, state-of-the-art, 144-bed behavioral health hospital, centrally located in the medical district of Greenville, less than a mile from ECU Health Medical Center.
Is this a merger? Is ECU Health being acquired?
No. This is a joint venture aligning our organization with Acadia who specializes in behavioral health and deepens our abilities to serve our communities.
Why was this decision made?
In 2023, Mental Health America ranked North Carolina 39 out of 51 for access to behavioral health care. North Carolina ranked 24 out of 51 for youth behavioral health needs, in terms of the prevalence of mental illness and rates of access to care. Additionally, in June 2021, Gov. Cooper identified a historic behavioral health need in North Carolina that has only been compounded by the pandemic.
This partnership allows us the ability to better achieve our mission and to continue leading public health efforts across the state, especially in rural communities. Collaborative efforts like these will strengthen our organization and secure our ability to serve the region for generations to come.
Details
How does this joint venture benefit the community of eastern North Carolina?
Given the profound challenges facing our state in terms of access to quality behavioral health care, especially in rural communities, there is a tremendous need for innovative strategies to address these challenges. This new hospital is designed with those realities in mind. It will add additional beds to our health system for adults, as well as provide the only child and adolescent beds within 75 miles of Greenville.
Through this new partnership, ECU Health is reinforcing its commitment to stopping the stigma against people with mental illness. Prior to the pandemic, nearly one in five North Carolinians experienced a mental illness. In the last two years, data indicates a growing trend of depression and anxiety symptoms.
Mental health issues affect every family and community, and we are committed to talking about mental health, normalizing it and treating it with the latest science and medicine. We are committed to stopping the stigma against people with mental illness or who need behavioral health care services.
When will positions be posted for the new hospital?
Updated 5/20/2024
We are looking for providers in eastern North Carolina to join our new behavioral health hospital opening in Spring 2025. If you’re interested in speaking with a recruiter and learning more about how we’re supporting the growing need for accessible behavioral health care in our communities, please visit our behavioral health career page: careers.ecuhealth.org.
Why was the location next to ECU Health Medical Center chosen?
The new hospital is being built on 10 acres of land that was previously undeveloped on the ECU Health property in the medical district, currently owned by the health system located at 2820 MacGregor Downs Road, Greenville, N.C. 27834 – less than a mile from ECU Health Medical Center. This is considered the ideal location for this behavioral health hospital. This proximity to the ECU Health Medical Center will help ensure we can deliver services efficiently and effectively to patients who need them.
How big is the new behavioral health hospital?
The new hospital will include 144 beds to meet the demand for inpatient psychiatric care in the region. We are well underway with construction, and we look forward to sharing additional details in the coming months.
Will the new hospital include pediatrics?
Through this partnership, the hospital will include 24 inpatient beds dedicated to serving the mental health needs of children and adolescents – the only child and adolescent beds within 75 miles of Greenville, which will be a significant step forward for behavioral health care in eastern North Carolina. Patients of all ages will have access to the specialized care they need in a carefully designed environment.
What will the new behavioral health hospital be called?
The name of the new hospital will be announced at a future date.
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