Scripps Health announced plans Tuesday to build a behavioral health facility with Acadia Healthcare Co. Inc. in Chula Vista.

The facility will replace Scripps’ current behavioral health unit at Scripps Mercy Hospital. Scripps Health officials expect it will accommodate treatment for three times as many patients as the existing unit and will create more than 150 new jobs.

The 120-bed facility is expected to open in 2023. Scripps also plans to invest more than $1 million into improvements to its current 36-bed facility while it remains in use. The new facility will be staffed by about 250 employees; the current behavioral health unit has 93.

“This collaboration gives us the opportunity not only to continue, but to significantly expand our commitment to serve behavioral health patients,” said Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “We selected Acadia as our partner because of the company’s deep expertise in the specialized field of behavioral health and its experience operating hundreds of facilities, many in partnership with other health care providers.”

Acadia Healthcare provides behavioral healthcare at facilities in 40 states, the United Kingdom and Puerto Rico. The new Scripps facility will add to Acadia’s network of 586 behavioral health units and roughly 18,000 beds.

“We are delighted to enter this important partnership with Scripps Health,” said Acadia CEO Debbie Osteen. “This initiative is commensurate with Acadia’s mission to leverage our expertise in behavioral healthcare and expand our services and capabilities in more communities across the country.”

–City News Service

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