Staff Report

GREER -- The Carolina Center for Behavioral Health in Greer has added eight additional psychiatric beds to its inpatient capacity. The additional beds are included in the first phase of a $6.8 million hospital expansion that begins this month. Construction on a brand new 15-bed unit is scheduled to begin this week.

The additional beds will be used for treating adults in need of crisis stabilization in an acute care hospital setting. This brings the total number of beds licensed by the S.C. Department of Health & Environment Control at the Carolina Center for Behavioral Health to 97.

The hospital hopes to add 35 jobs as a result of the expansion.

The additional beds come at a time when the needs of the mental health community are in high demand, said CCBH CEO John Willingham. The economic downturn has left many in the community feeling depressed and anxious, and CCBH experienced a 91% occupancy level in 2009.

“State mental health budget cuts have reduced the number of beds available in the state hospital system and we see our role as a partner in the solution by adding beds to our hospital’s capacity and increasing the programs we have available to those suffering from mental illness,” Willingham said.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new construction has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

Construction of the new unit will be led by R. J. Griffin & Co., a division of JE Dunn Construction Co., based out of Atlanta. The architect for the project is WMA Architects/Planners Inc.

The Carolina Center for Behavioral Health, the former Charter Hospital, is located at 2700 E. Phillips Road in Greer. CCBH is owned, managed and operated by a subsidiary of Universal Health Services Inc.

Published Feb. 22, 2010