PsychiatricCareCentergroundbreakinginMarch

TIMSTANLEY TulsaWorld

The opportunitytotrain more futuremental health providersis certainlyone of aplanned Tulsa psychiatric hospital’sbig selling points.

But what it will mean forstudentsinother medical roles may be just as important, Dr.Johnny Stephens said.

“ER physicians,our surgeons, primarycareproviders—it’sgoing to allowustogive exposurein appropriatemental health care to a number of training physicians,” said Stephens president of OSU Center forHealth Sciences,a partner in the project. “Familymedicine, internal medicine —all of our disciplines on campus will benefit.”

Mental health training is now recognized as important, he said, whatever field of medicine one goes into.

“This is going to be just atremendous teaching and training opportunity,”Stephens said.

Plans forthe newhospital, a partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and SubstanceAbuse Services and Oklahoma State University, were first announced in 2021

Theytook their next step recentlywhen officials decided on aname —the Oklahoma Psychi- atric CareCenter —and setan official groundbreaking dateof

March 30

The $70million, 137,000square-foot hospital will be built on downtown’swestside next to anew Veterans Affairshospital and OSUMedical Center,with OSUCenter forHealth Sciences just amile away The 106-bed facility, targeted fora November 2024 opening, will replacethe current 56-bed TulsaCenter forBehavioral Health on South Harvard Avenue.

The newhospital is projected to serveanadditional 1,000-plus patientsayearand help reduce mental health-relatedERvisits, incarcerations and homelessness.

Carrie Slatto n-H odg es , commissioner for the stateDepartment of Mental Health, said the agencyisexcited to be working with OSUonthe venture.

“OSU has an outstanding rep- utation forits behavioral health degree programs in Tulsa, as well as itsresearchprograms,”she said. “For us,this is the perfect partnership.”

The psychiatric hospital “will be among the best in the country,”she said.

“It will increase the ability of all Oklahomans to engagein services when needed, and more will be able to receivethe latest in treatment advancements and access to behavioral health care than ever before.”

The facilitywill alsodouble as astate-of-the-art teaching hospital.

“I’mreallypassionate about the training aspect,”Stephens said.

“Wefeel that we’ll be able to add close to 15 newresidency slots,”hesaid. “Medical students and nursing studentsfroma number of different universities will train in the facility, as well.”

The original plan wasfor anew 56-bed hospital, but it wasexpanded thanksto$38 million in federal pandemic relief funding secured through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The facilityalsowill add 100 newjobs, with atotal workforce of 270, officials said.

Stephens said the COVID-19 pandemic onlyadded to the strain on the state’smental health system.

“This is going to help reduce some of that strain,”hesaid. “And it’s not just inpatient beds This facilityisforward-looking and will have crisis care beds and chairs(forshorter-term observation).”

Adrop-off facilityfor lawenforcement is another important feature, he said.

“Hopefullythis will reduce the time that lawenforcement is having to trytofind afacility forthose that need mental health care versus incarceration,”Stephens said. “We’re hoping that that’s going to be atremendous partnership.” tim.stanley@tulsaworld.com