Methodist Health and Acadia Healthcare have broken ground on the new Methodist Jennie Edmundson Behavioral Health Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa, scheduled to open in 2026. (Photo: Daniel Johnson/Methodist Health System)
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, Aug. 27, 2024–( BUSINESS WIRE )–Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and Acadia Healthcare Company held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a state-of-the-art behavioral health hospital serving residents of western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.
The event, held at the future hospital site at 3620 S. 24th St. in Council Bluffs, Iowa, celebrated the previously announced joint venture partnership between Methodist and Acadia Healthcare. Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital is an affiliate of the Omaha-based Methodist Health System.
“According to data from the American Hospital Directory, Iowa and Nebraska are short more than 300 inpatient behavioral health beds,” said Dave Byrd, president and CEO of Methodist Jenny Edmundson Hospital. “This project shows the urgent need for behavioral health care, not only nationwide, but here in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.”
The hospital, scheduled to open in 2026, will be named Methodist Jennie Edmundson Behavioral Health. The modern campus will feature 96 inpatient beds, including 24 dedicated to the mental health needs of children and adolescents, as well as intensive outpatient services. The new hospital will be a center of excellence, investing in the latest technology and resources to expand access to quality behavioral health services in the region. Graham Construction & Engineering is the general contractor on the project, and Stengel Hill Architecture will be the design firm for the project.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh, as well as officials and leaders from Methodist Health System and Acadia Healthcare.
Attendees toured the site and architectural renderings of the future hospital, designed to provide the highest level of care for patients suffering from acute symptoms of mental illness and substance use disorders.
Speakers at the event discussed the hospital’s expected impact on acute and intensive outpatient behavioral health services in the community and reaffirmed Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital’s longstanding commitment to providing high-quality, accessible behavioral health care in the community.
“This project is an important part of Methodist Jenny Edmundson Hospital and Methodist Health System delivering on our promise to improve the health of our communities through care, education and innovation,” Byrd said. “Methodist Jenny Edmundson Behavioral Health Care will enable us to meet the current and future demands of patients with acute symptoms of mental illness, and today is a day to celebrate this investment in the health and well-being of our community.”
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“We are excited to have the opportunity to introduce the Methodist Jenny Edmundson Behavioral Health vision to the region,” said Nasser Khan, M.D., chief operating officer for Acadia Healthcare. “We are very proud to partner with Methodist and work together to expand quality care and meet the growing needs of the region. This behavioral health hospital will be a strong part of the Council Bluffs community, collaborating with organizations, hospitals and emergency medical personnel throughout western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.”
For more information about Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital’s partnership with Acadia Healthcare, visit Bluffsbehavioralhealth.com.
About Methodist Jenny Edmundson Hospital
Methodist Jenny Edmundson Hospital was founded in 1886 and became an affiliate of the Methodist Health System in 1994. Today, the hospital is a 230-bed regional medical center serving approximately 250,000 residents in western Iowa. Jenny Edmundson Hospital boasts western Iowa’s only accredited cancer program and a 20-bed inpatient adult behavioral health unit. The hospital has a 24/7 Level III Emergency Department that treats more than 20,000 patients annually. Jenny Edmundson Hospital also performs more than 7,000 inpatient and outpatient surgeries annually and delivers more than 650 births annually.
About Acadia Healthcare
Acadia is a leading provider of behavioral health services across the United States. As of June 30, 2024, Acadia operates a network of 258 behavioral health facilities with approximately 11,400 beds in 38 states and Puerto Rico. With approximately 23,500 employees serving more than 75,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest freestanding behavioral health company in the United States. Acadia provides behavioral health services to patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers and outpatient clinics. For more information, visit AcadiaHealthcare.com.
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contact address
Claudia Born
Methodist Health System
(402) 354-6818
Tim Blair (media)/Patrick Feeley (investor)
Acadia Healthcare
(615) 861-6000
