For many Oklahoma families, getting specialized mental health treatment for children can mean leaving the state and falling behind in school.
A new partnership between Oklahoma Children’s OU Health and Oklahoma City Public Schools aims to change that with a first-of-its-kind facility in Oklahoma now under construction.
The Oklahoma Children’s Behavioral Health Center is a $129 million investment designed to address growing youth mental health needs.
The center will be one of few in the nation focused on pediatric behavioral health, and it is one of the largest pediatric mental health projects in Oklahoma history. “This program does not exist anywhere in our state,” said Dr. Amber Nealy, vice president of operations.
The new center is planned to include 72 inpatient beds, classrooms, family resource areas, and a skybridge connecting patients to Oklahoma Children’s Hospital.
The goal is to allow children to continue learning while receiving treatment.
Nealy said the need is significant. “We have about 32 students that could be in our outpatient programs and then you currently have students here on long term stays in the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital,” she said.
Nealy said they are seeing children as young as 11 arrive in crisis with suicidal thoughts.
The center is also expected to help families who have been forced to leave Oklahoma to find specialized care, including services for acute autism crises.
The facility will serve children ages 5 to 17, providing mental health treatment along with education support.
As part of the partnership, Oklahoma City Public Schools is searching for seven teachers and a school liaison to help students stay on track academically during treatment.
The hiring effort comes as schools across the state continue to face a teacher shortage.
When asked about pay and funding, OU Health said the teachers will be Oklahoma City Public Schools employees and would be paid by the district.
Oklahoma City Public Schools had not responded with details on how much the teachers will be paid or where the money for the positions will come from.
Nealy said the center will need continued financial support. “We need ongoing support. We need ongoing awareness that these types of programs are available in the state of Oklahoma,” she said.
The facility is expected to attract patients from across Oklahoma and future health care professionals. “When you think about a program this size, it’s going to attract students from all across the country,” Nealy said.
The estimated completion date for the new behavioral health center is the first week of December.