Hospital board approves funding for behavioral health pavilion

SARASOTA — The Sarasota County Public Hospital Board approved a $65 million plan to replace its aging behavioral health hospital with a new pavilion that centralizes and enhances care to people affected by mental and behavioral health challenges.

Design on the pavilion is expected to begin this year, according to a press release. Preliminary plans call for the new 82-bed, 95,000-square-foot Behavioral Health Pavilion to be built on the northeast corner of the hospital’s main campus, at the corner of Osprey Avenue and Hawthorne Street.

The pavilion will be built across the street from Bayside Center for Behavioral Health, which it will replace. Bayside Center administrative offices located across the street on the east side of Osprey will be demolished. There will be no disruption for patients receiving care in the existing Bayside Center or the outpatient programs, the statement says.

As proposed, the new pavilion will include four dedicated inpatient units — an 18-bed geriatric unit, 20-bed acute care unit, 22-bed adult unit and a 22-bed child and adolescent unit. The new facility will have all private rooms, as well as sensory rooms.

A separate outpatient area in the pavilion will centralize the hospital’s existing partial hospitalization program, intensive outpatient program, electroconvulsive therapy and outpatient counseling services into one location. The pavilion also will have clinical and support space for pharmacy, laboratory, food and nutrition, public safety, housekeeping and administrative services.  

The new facility will be a major step forward in developing a comprehensive approach to addressing the behavioral health needs of individuals and their families in the community, says Terry Cassidy, executive director for SMH Behavioral Health Services.

“Mental illness affects one in five Americans every year," says Cassidy in a statement. "Many in our community are struggling daily due to conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and PTSD. These are often treatable conditions, and with the right services, most people can recover and lead fulfilling lives. Offering a full spectrum of services in one location allows for coordinated care and better outcomes for all our patients and our community.”

Construction is expected to be complete by October 2023.