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Provider's plan for psychiatric center praised

Rachel Brand, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 14, 2006 at midnight

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The nation's third-largest hospital management company will open an 84-bed psychiatric medical center early next year in Highlands Ranch, adding capacity to serve the mentally ill at a time when other hospitals are dropping the service.

King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services will invest $15 million to buy and upgrade the former Columbine Psychiatric Center on 6 acres at 8565 S. Poplar Way.

It's the hospital company's first facility in Colorado.

When completed, the hospital will treat acutely ill adults and teens, offer inpatient and outpatient detoxification programs and provide partial hospitalization services.

"We're very excited about this opportunity and . . . look forward to treating the consumers in Denver," said UHS spokeswoman Karen Prince.

The new hospital opens in a severely underserved market.

An estimated 17,000 mentally ill Coloradans have no way to get treatment, according to the Mental Health Association of Colorado.

St. Anthony Central Hospital recently closed its psychiatric unit, putting "substantial" pressure on the market, said Scott Thoemke, CEO of Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network.

"This is pretty welcome news," said Thoemke. "Of course, it's in our backyard, so we're kind of psyched - pardon the pun."

Added George Delgrosso, executive director of Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, "As I understand it, there are some weekends when hospital psychiatric units are on divert," which means hospital units that are full divert patients to other hospitals that have room.

"Availability of more inpatient, outpatient and adolescent services like the ones announced today will make a much-needed impact and allow our city to be safer, happier, healthier," said Jeanne Rohner, president and CEO of the Mental Health Association of Colorado.

The addition will increase access by 25 percent for Denver adults and teens, the association said.

Hospital system HealthOne closed the Columbine Psychiatric Center in September 1996, part of a strategy to consolidate psychiatric services at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center.

The building was sold with one restriction: The buyer couldn't operate a medical facility on site.

HealthOne agreed to lift the restriction so that Universal Health Services could buy the building. In exchange, the new psychiatric facility will devote 20 beds to patients referred from HealthOne hospitals.

That clears the way for Presbyterian/St. Luke's to close its 20-bed behavioral health unit. The central Denver hospital will use the space to expand cancer care services.

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