SARASOTA, Fla. - At a time when more people are seeking care for anxiety, depression and other mental health issues, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is moving forward with a new behavioral health pavilion that will expand and centralize care for people with mental and behavioral health challenges.
The health system broke ground on the new $71 million Cornell Family Behavioral Health Pavilion on March 30. The groundbreaking was a
ttended by leaders of the health system, public officials and private donors — including Target CEO Brian Cornell, who with his wife personally donated $10 million toward the project.
"We've always admired the great work being done by the Sarasota Memorial Hospital system," Brian Cornell said at the groundbreaking. "We knew we had a team we could work with to create a world-class center - one that will be a role model for other communities across the country, and a center that will attract world-class talent here. Together, we can have a huge impact on Sarasota, on families, and change lives for years to come."
When complete in the Fall of 2023, the Cornell Family Behavioral Health Pavilion will replace Sarasota Memorial's aging 1970s-era Bayside Center for Behavioral Health with a 3-story facility designed to make people feel welcome, safe and supported through their healthcare experience. The new facility is being built directly across the street on the east side of Osprey, so patient care will not be disrupted by the construction.
The first floor will house a comprehensive array of outpatient behavioral health programs and counseling services, including a 24-hour assessment center, intensive outpatient programs for youth and adults, a partial hospitalization program for adults, individual and group counseling.
The two upper floors of the 95,000-square-foot facility will include care units and private rooms dedicated to specific populations, including a geriatric unit, child and
adolescent unit, adult unit and acute-care unit. Each patient room will include large windows letting in natural light and other design elements to help reduce stress and promote recovery.
At the groundbreaking, SMH President and CEO David Verinder said that studies show one in five people suffers from mental illness, “and that number is even higher as a result of this pandemic.”
“The pavilion will transform health care in our region for years to come,” he said, “and, we hope, to inspire other community partners and leaders to further advance and grow these vital services.”
Healthcare Foundation President Mason Ayers said the pavilion would “serve as a beacon to anyone who might be suffering the effects of mental illness.”
“The last few years really shone a light on the need to make comprehensive, behavioral healthcare a priority,” he said.
About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional referral center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with more than a million patient visits each year across its Sarasota and Venice hospitals, freestanding ER in North Port and more than a dozen urgent care and outpatient campuses in the Suncoast region. For information, visit: www.smh.com.