Behavioral Health Hospital Coming to Lancaster

Antelope Valley Hospital and Kentucky-based Kindred Healthcare have entered into a joint venture to build and operate a new specialty hospital in Lancaster, the organizations said.The 125,000-square-foot, two-story hospital dedicated to behavioral health and rehabilitation will have 121 beds, with 96 for behavioral health patients and 25 for acute inpatient rehabilitation, AV Hospital said, all with private rooms.The organizations have not yet disclosed a timeline for construction or estimated cost.“AVH’s mental health unit has seen over 500 patients just this year. For this reason, it’s important to provide a multidisciplinary approach to this growing health problem,” Edward Mirzabegian, chief executive of Antelope Valley Hospital, said in a statement. “This unique facility will also allow AVH to expand its rehabilitation services to ensure patient safety and enhance patients’ functional level prior to discharge from the hospital.”“This joint venture specialty hospital will be Kindred’s first hospital that provides both behavioral health and inpatient rehabilitation services,” Jason Zachariah, president of Kindred Rehabilitation Services, added in the statement. The health care services company currently has 327 locations across 35 states; its annual revenues are about $2.7 billion.The facility will take patients with acute mental health and substance abuse disorders, offering detoxification from alcohol and drugs as well as treatment for anxiety, depression, PTSD and other behavioral health illnesses.A separate unit will serve patients dealing with the fallout from brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, stroke and orthopedic surgery.