Governor Greg Abbott announced that construction is officially underway on a new state-of-the-art mental health hospital, a modern psychiatric facility in North Texas.
The $159 million project in Amarillo will bring much-needed inpatient mental health services to the 26-county Panhandle area for the first time in state history.
The 75-bed hospital, funded by the Texas Legislature and spearheaded by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), is expected to be finished in 2027. At 164,475 square feet, it is designed to meet modern standards in psychiatric care and will be able to serve adults requiring severe inpatient treatment for psychiatric problems and other ailments.
“Texas is delivering on its promise to expand healthcare to rural communities across our great state,” Abbott said in a June 10 press release announcing the groundbreaking.
“This Panhandle State Hospital – the first state-operated facility in the region – will provide Texans greater access to mental health professionals and high-quality care close to home. I thank the Texas Legislature and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for their work to increase access to mental healthcare for Texans in every corner of our state,” the governor added.
The new facility will include “communal activity spaces” and outdoor courtyards to promote recovery and social engagement for psychiatric patients. According to Abbott’s office, the hospital’s modern design is part of a broader strategy to integrate new evidence-based practices and layouts into mental health facilities.
Cecile Erwin Young, HHSC’s executive commissioner, talked about the importance of providing quality care to certain previously underserved communities across Texas.
“Texans are better served when they have access to healthcare closer to home, and that is why state leaders and HHSC have invested in facilities like the Panhandle State Hospital,” Young said.
The Amarillo construction project is part of a sweeping overhaul of the state’s mental health infrastructure.
Since 2017, the Abbott administration and Texas lawmakers have allocated over $2.5 billion to modernize and expand the state’s psychiatric care system, including renovating, replacing, or constructing hospitals across the state.
The HHSC currently oversees nine different hospitals and one inpatient youth treatment center. These facilities provide 24/7 care for residents struggling with severe mental illness, including those found incompetent to stand trial in the legal system, or deemed a danger to themselves or others.
With rural healthcare access a growing concern across the state, as previously reported on by The Dallas Express, the new hospital will be a big milestone in addressing mental health disparities across Texas.
HHSC’s official webpage has construction renderings of the new facility and updates on the project’s progress.
“When completed, this hospital will offer hope and healing to some of the most vulnerable people in the Panhandle,” Young added.