MOOSIC, Pa. — Through the pandemic, there has been a growing need for mental and behavioral health, and now Geisinger has launched a new effort to deal with that.
Even before the pandemic hit, getting access to behavioral health care providers had been an uphill battle for residents across our area.
In a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Geisinger and Acadia Healthcare, the largest provider for behavioral health in the country, have partnered to address the urgent need for services.
They are partnering on two new inpatient facilities—one in Danville and one in Moosic on Montage Mountain—costing a combined $80 million.
The new 73,000 square foot center will hold 96 beds coming at a time of great need because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We have seen, and you heard the statistic earlier: 15 to 20 percent increases in the need of behavioral health. That demand is astounding. If you look at what's out there in our communities and the needs that need to be addressed, and so with that, we have to be able to expand our services and doing that through something like this is exactly what our community needs," said Dr. Jaewon Ryu, president and CEO of Geisinger.
Both health care providers agreed on Moosic as the place for the new facility—right in between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, two areas they say need an increase in services.
The facility will work with adults, children, and adolescents who struggle with behavioral health disorders.
Not only does it impact those in need of help, but also those in the community.
"It's great for the tax base because it's going to provide, you know, good quality, high paying jobs, which is going to be a big boost for the tax base and as well for the residents of Moosic borough as well as Lackawanna County," said Stanley Kania, Moosic council president.
The project is projected to create 200 new jobs between both centers.
The behavioral health facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022.