(WBAP/KLIF) — The nation’s second busiest psychiatric hospital is getting an upgrade.
JPS Health Network is adding a new, 80,000 square-foot psychiatric emergency center to its Fort Worth Campus. According to JPS spokesman Alan Podawiltz, the facility will be built next to Trinity Springs Pavilion.
The psychiatric emergency room will also have its own independent drop off stage for police and ambulance. Podawiltz says the new facility can’t come soon enough as the current 20-year old footprint is considered the 2nd busiest psychiatric hospital in the nation, seeing 20,000 patients a year. JPS Health Network provides emergency treatment for adults and teens with severe psychiatric illness.
The new facility is expected to be completed by 2025 and will add an additional 60 patient rooms to the overall capacity.
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JPS Health Network Breaks Ground on New JPS Psychiatric Emergency Center Press Release
October 26, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas — JPS Health Network today officially broke ground on a new JPS Psychiatric Emergency Center (PEC) to treat patients experiencing mental health crisis. The facility is part of the JPS Bond Package approved by voters to expand and modernize facilities.
Representatives from the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, JPS Board of Managers, and the City of Fort Worth joined JPS executives, healthcare providers, and other team members for a special Groundbreaking Ceremony at the JPS Main Campus.
The new facility will be approximately 80,000 square feet and will increase the number of patient care spaces from 30 to about 90. JPS is building the PEC facility on the southwest side of campus, along Allen Street at South Jennings Avenue. The first component of this project will be the connector building between the new PEC and the current behavioral health hospital, Trinity Springs Pavilion. Plans are to begin construction by the end of the year and the project is anticipated to take 18 to 24 months to complete.
“With this new Psychiatric Emergency Center, JPS will be able to redefine our point of mental and behavioral health access and support the growing healthcare needs in Tarrant County. Our new facilities will ensure that we will continue to provide high quality healthcare for everyone,” said Dr. Karen Duncan, JPS President and CEO.
The JPS Psychiatric Emergency Center is the only one in Tarrant County and is among the busiest in the United States. It is open 24 hours, providing treatment of adults and teens with severe and emergent psychiatric illness. The PEC is staffed by psychiatrists and other behavioral health experts. The PEC is currently located within the Main Campus, and more space is needed to meet patient needs. In addition, its location on the 10th floor is a challenge for caregivers, family members, and patients to navigate.