COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A consultant has submitted an application to build a $12.7 million, 60-bed psychiatric hospital in southeast Columbia to the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee.
The certificate of need application was submitted Wednesday by Thomas Piper, CEO of MacQuest Consulting, the Columbia Missourian (http://bit.ly/1IsO2IP) reported.
The proposed Columbia Behavioral Health Hospital would be operated by Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Columbia, part of a national network that specializes in the care of older adults and seniors.
Its survey in a seven-county area surrounding Columbia showed more than 2,000 patients were projected to need psychiatric care.
"Some local health services lack capacity to meet demands, most notably mental/behavioral health and substance abuse, detox and treatment," the application said.
The proposed psychiatric hospital is estimated to be 44,000 square feet, and would hold 10 single-occupancy rooms and 25 double-occupancy rooms.
The proposal said $9.2 million will be needed for construction and $3.5 million for other expenses, and it would be financed with a $12.7 million loan.
The application will be assessed based on cost, revenue and need.
If approved by the committee, the proposed hospital is expected to be completed in April 2017, and would open in May 2017.