Acadia Healthcare Company held a groundbreaking ceremony marking the beginning of construction on the new hospital that the company is building to serve residents of Mesa, Arizona, and surrounding communities. Slated to open in early 2024, the 100-bed acute care behavioral health hospital will be located on a 12-acre site at the corner of Ellsworth Road and Peterson Avenue in Mesa.
Named Agave Ridge Behavioral Hospital, the new hospital addresses the growing need in Arizona for more accessible, high-quality behavioral healthcare services. It will offer a full continuum of inpatient behavioral healthcare services for adult, older adult and pediatric patients including comprehensive treatment for those who struggle with acute symptoms of behavioral health disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The groundbreaking was honored by the presence of City of Mesa Mayor John Giles. Attendees saw the site of the new hospital and an architectural rendering of the facility. Event speakers discussed its anticipated impact on the community’s need for additional mental health services.
According to data compiled from the Treatment Advocacy Center, U.S. Census Bureau and American Hospital Directory, Maricopa County has a deficit of 893 behavioral health beds in the County. The County should have 2,331 beds to meet its behavioral health care needs but presently only has 1,492 beds available. Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health has reported that one in every five people have a mental health need. In Arizona, this represents over one million residents ages 12 and up. Additionally, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention identified suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among Arizonians ages 10–34.
“The dearth of mental health resources is a national problem that we also face in Arizona,” said Dr. Jeffrey Woods, Operations Group President of Acadia Healthcare. “We are very pleased to announce that construction is underway for Agave Ridge Behavioral. It will be state-of-the-art and provide the hope and healing that residents of Mesa and the surrounding communities need when dealing with complex behavioral health issues. We want to thank local officials for their collaboration and prompt attention to this project. We will become a strong member of the community, partnering with all organizations, hospitals and first responders.”
Acadia is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services across the United States. As of December 31, 2022, Acadia operated a network of 250 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 11,000 beds in 39 states and Puerto Rico. With more than 23,000 employees serving approximately 75,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest stand-alone behavioral healthcare company in the U.S. Acadia provides behavioral healthcare services to its patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers and outpatient clinics.