COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Central Ohio Behavioral Healthcare (COBH) hospital’s grand opening was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning.
As we round out mental health awareness month, it's a welcomed enhancement to psychiatric care in central Ohio. The COBH facility is replacing the 1977 Twin Valley Healthcare building at 2200 West Broad Street, which is set to be demolished and repurposed as a greenspace.
COBH broke ground in October 2020. It’s a $140 million investment that increases the number of patients able to be housed. The building includes eight patient units with just over 200 beds, intensive care suites, a social learning center, secured courtyards and a courtroom area.
The new building also provides more privacy with 85% of rooms being single-patient occupancy. The majority of the rooms at the old facility were double-patient occupancy. Speakers at the ribbon cutting said COBH is intended to ensure safety, inspire hope and guide recovery for some of the community's most vulnerable members who can easily slip through the cracks.
“It is really about hope,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Someone comes in here, family brings someone in here, a loved one, I think they could look at this building and feel that there is hope for that loved one."
DeWine said this new building is more favorable and more equipped to meet the needs of psychiatric patients in central Ohio. He adds that the design of the building also creates an environment that edges out some of the stigma surrounding mental health. “The surroundings that people are in is part of therapy, part of recovery and this is a great place for someone to find that recovery that they need,” said DeWine.
Staff and patients will move to the new building next month.
