HARLINGEN — Palms Behavioral Health, the new 94-bed psychiatric hospital now under construction, will accept its first patient Aug. 2, officials said yesterday.
The $13 million hospital, by most accounts of medical professionals, will help fill a desperate gap in mental health care facilities in the Rio Grande Valley.
“We’re going to be able to provide mental health services for the whole Valley, said Michael Sauceda, the new chief executive officer of the hospital.
The new Harlingen hospital is part of a rapid national expansion by Memphis-based Strategic Behavioral Health, which by year’s end will operate a dozen psychiatric treatment hospitals.
It also is a major addition to Harlingen’s growing importance as a regional medical treatment destination. Palms joins large hospitals Valley Baptist Medical Center and Harlingen Medical Center as part of the city’s growing medical community.
The recently-hired Sauceda is a veteran of that community in the Valley, having served in administrative capacities with United Health Services, the South Texas Health System and Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburgh.
Sauceda served as administrator over behavioral health care at Doctors Hospital from February 2015 to March, when he was hired to run Palms Behavioral Health.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, and have improved in the past 10 years,” he said of Valley mental health treatment. “But there’s still a lack of treatment options, especially among psychiatrists.”
Palms Behavioral Health, located at 613 Victoria Lane, will eventually employ 225 people, company officials have said.
Sauceda said his first hires – primarily administrative staff – will begin coming on board in the middle of June.
“We’re really going to ramp up in July, and we’re going to bring aboard a lot more senior-level employees,” he said.
Medical professionals not affiliated with Palms Behavioral Health have said the facility, while welcome and long overdue, still won’t close the entire mental health treatment gap for Valley residents.
In an acknowledgement of that reality, Strategic Behavioral Health in February sought and received permission from the Harlingen City Commission to expand its original plan for a 52,000-square-foot facility with 72 beds to a 63,000-square-foot facility with 94 beds.
“We’re going to be a resource for the entire community, from children to our elder adults,” Sauceda said.
LOOKING FOR A JOB
Applicants for jobs at the new facility can view openings and apply at http://www.palmsbh.com/employment-opportunities/
