Advancing Behavioral Health Care for Eastern North Carolina

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 Spring 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 last three years, the data indicates growing trends of depression and anxiety.

Through this partnership, 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.

On November 1, we held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on the state-of-the-art facility.

We are committed to taking the important and necessary steps to bring this high-quality care to our region and are grateful for those who came to support the advancement of behavioral health for our community.

Thanks to the partnership of our construction partners, the facility is slated to open its doors in Spring 2025.

Process Timeline

This timeline is subject to change.

Design & Planning

November 1, 2023

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Fall 2023 – Early 2025

Construction

Spring 2025

Hospital Opens

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 Healthcare

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

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 11/1/2023

Open positions for direct care not filled by current employees will be posted in late 2024, while leadership recruitment will begin earlier. All open positions for the health system are posted here: careers.ecuhealth.org.

Why was the location next to ECU Health Medical Center chosen?

ECU Health has identified a plot of undeveloped land 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 – as 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 in the preliminary stages of 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.

Ask A Question

We’re Committed to Keeping You Informed as We Move Forward.

ECU Health/Acadia News

November 1, 2023

ECU Health and Acadia Healthcare Host Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Behavioral Health Hospital

March 9, 2023

Michael Lang: Investment, support needed to improve behavioral health

February 24, 2023

ECU to provide mental health services for youth with $3.2 million United Health Foundation grant

February 15, 2023

NCDHHS hosts Mental Health Town Hall in Pitt County

Behavioral Health News

November 2, 2023

ECU Health, Acadia Break Ground on Behavioral Health Hospital in Greenville

November 2, 2023

A Look at North Carolina’s First Year with the 988 Mental Health Crisis Line

November 2, 2023

NCDHHS Receives $14.8 Million Grant to Strengthen Behavioral Health System for Children and Families

November 2, 2023

North Carolina State Leaders Hold Behavioral Health Roundtable

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