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LCMC Health broke ground on the first inpatient behavioral health unit at New Orleans East Hospital.
The expansion will improve access to mental healthcare for residents of New Orleans East, Gentilly and the Lower 9th Ward.
More than 120,000 residents currently lack an inpatient behavioral health facility east of the Industrial Canal.
The project aims to address rising demand for psychiatric services and reduce pressure on area emergency departments.
LCMC Health has broken ground on a new inpatient behavioral health unit at New Orleans East Hospital, a project aimed at expanding access to mental health services for residents of eastern New Orleans and surrounding neighborhoods.
The expansion will establish the first inpatient behavioral health unit at New Orleans East Hospital since the facility opened in 2014. Hospital officials said the unit is intended to address longstanding gaps in access to psychiatric care for residents of New Orleans East, Gentilly, the Lower 9th Ward and nearby communities.
LCMC Health said the project comes as demand for behavioral health services continues to increase across Louisiana. According to the health system, more than 330,000 adults in the state experience a serious mental illness each year, yet more than half do not receive treatment. Hospital leaders also noted there is currently no inpatient behavioral health facility east of the Industrial Canal, leaving more than 120,000 residents to travel elsewhere for inpatient psychiatric care.
Dr. Takeisha Davis, President & CEO, New Orleans East Hospital & Mayor Helena Moreno, City of New Orleans prepare for the “wall breaking” ceremony for the New Orleans East Hospital new Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit. Photo courtesy LCMC Health.
“Caring for a community means addressing both physical and behavioral health needs,” Greg Feirn, CEO of LCMC Health, said in a statement. “By expanding inpatient behavioral health services at New Orleans East Hospital, we are strengthening access to care and helping ensure patients can receive support closer to home.”
The new unit will provide inpatient treatment for patients experiencing mental health crises and other behavioral health conditions. LCMC Health said the facility is designed to offer comprehensive, patient-centered care while helping reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments, which have experienced increasing numbers of psychiatric-related visits in recent years.
“Behavioral health needs continue to grow throughout our community, and too many individuals and families struggle to find timely access to care,” Dr. Takeisha Davis, president and CEO of New Orleans East Hospital, said in a statement. “This expansion will help close a longstanding gap in care, ensuring patients can access specialized behavioral health services closer to home while remaining connected to their support systems, loved ones and community resources.”
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said the project will improve access to mental healthcare for underserved neighborhoods.
“Strong communities depend on healthy people, and that includes access to quality mental healthcare,” Moreno said. “My administration is committed to making sure every neighborhood has the resources families need to thrive. Expanding behavioral health services in New Orleans East will reduce barriers to care and strengthen the long-term health of our community.”
New Orleans East Hospital is part of LCMC Health, an eight-hospital system serving the Gulf Coast region. The health system said the behavioral health expansion is part of its broader effort to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to specialized services across Greater New Orleans.