Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital and Acadia Healthcare have partnered to build a behavioral health hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa, investing more than $55 million to alleviate unmet behavioral health needs in the region.
As the largest standalone provider of behavioral healthcare services in the nation, Acadia will help MJEH address the deficit of over 300 inpatient behavioral health beds in Iowa and Nebraska, according to a July 24 news release from Acadia.
The new hospital is planned to hold 96 beds — including 24 inpatient beds dedicated to adolescents — and provide outpatient services. It will also include treatment rooms spacious enough for group therapy sessions, centralized nursing stations, high ceilings and windows to highlight natural light, outdoor spaces and high-tech features.
"Methodist partnered with Acadia Healthcare because they are preeminent experts in behavioral health. This hospital will be a tremendous resource, and this partnership will help strengthen our level of expertise and implement proven best practices while enhancing the quality and number of behavioral health services available to patients throughout the area," David Burd, president and CEO of MJEH, said in the release.
The joint venture is in the process of securing land and awaiting regulatory approval, but the hospital is expected to open in 2026, according to the release.
Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital is an affiliate of Omaha, Neb.-based Methodist Health System.