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Before Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005, New Orleans East was home to a 40-bed inpatient behavioral health unit at The Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital—the same campus where LCMC Health’s New Orleans East Hospital (NOEH), the only city-owned hospital, is now located.
NOEH opened its doors in 2014 and has worked with the community to restore critical services to the neighborhoods of Gentilly, Lower Ninth Ward, and New Orleans East, which have historically experienced healthcare access challenges, both pre- and post-Katrina.
“This really is a transformative investment made in conjunction with NOEH, LCMC Health, and the State of Louisiana’s Capital Outlay program, and it sends a powerful message to the residents of these neighborhoods that they deserve access to these services close to home,” said Dr. Takeisha Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NOEH.
“It’s about more than just bringing additional hospital beds—it’s about restoring healthcare access and ensuring residents have the services they need where they need them most—in their community,” continued Dr. Davis.
Currently, the largest inpatient behavioral health unit in the city is located at LCMC Health’s University Medical Center (UMC) in Downtown New Orleans.
“There is a definite need for both inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services in New Orleans,” said Dr. Erich Conrad, Professor and Interim Chair for the LSU Department of Psychiatry and Director for the Behavioral Health Service Line at UMC. “At UMC, our behavioral health unit treats adults for anxiety, depression, and other chronic or acute severe mental illnesses, including substance use disorders.”
According to Dr. Conrad, the unit’s 60 beds are frequently full, and demand exceeds available capacity on most days, resulting in patients being transferred to the nearest available inpatient facility. With another 28 beds being added to the LCMC Health network at NOEH, Dr. Conrad said he is hopeful more patients will be able to receive care closer to home, which could benefit long-term recovery.
“Our patients sometimes end up as far away as Shreveport, which then makes it difficult for our quality providers around the city and state to fully integrate patients back into their home community,” said Dr. Davis.
“The East makes up approximately 20 percent of New Orleans’ population, so this addition to the LCMC Health family in New Orleans East is going to be very helpful in serving the community,” said Dr. Conrad.
NOEH will be working in partnership with UMC and LSU Health Sciences Center to ensure the highest quality inpatient care. Key outpatient partners—BACH Therapeutic Counseling Services, Integrity Behavioral Management, and Metropolitan Human Services District—also provide services on the NOEH campus.
On Tuesday, June 16at 11AM, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to mark the start of construction for the brand-new inpatient behavioral health unit which is projected to open in March 2027. Mayor Helena Moreno; Councilmember Jason Hughes of District E; Greg Feirn, CEO of LCMC Health; Dr. Takeisha Davis, president and CEO of New Orleans East Hospital; and Ronnie Burns Sr., chair of the New Orleans East Hospital Board of Commissioners, were in attendance to celebrate this milestone for New Orleans.
This $10 million investment will provide 28 beds in a state-of-the-art behavioral health facility. Adult psychiatric services, including psychiatric evaluation and diagnosis, crisis stabilization, medication management, and individual and group therapy will be offered on campus in a safe, well-staffed environment. Therapeutic design features such as ample natural light, calming colors, and communal indoor and outdoor spaces will be incorporated to promote patient healing and recovery.
“We want our residents to know that mental health is as important as physical health conditions. Mental health conditions are treatable, and recovery is possible,” Dr. Davis said. “In the same way we see our community members seek care for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, we want them to seek care for their anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders.”