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Tufts Medicine + Acadia Healthcare Break Ground on New Behavioral Health Hospital To Serve the Greater Boston Area

March 27, 2024

Tufts Medicine, a leading Massachusetts integrated, academic health system and Acadia Healthcare Company, the largest standalone provider of behavioral health services in the U.S., today held a ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on its previously announced state-of-the-art, 144-bed behavioral health hospital in Malden, Massachusetts.

Malden ground breaking ceremony
L to R: Mike Dandorph, President and CEO of Tufts Medicine; Kelly Corbi, President of MelroseWakefield Hospital; Chris Hunter, CEO of Acadia Healthcare; Senator Jason Lewis; Amanda Linehan, Malden City Councilor; Gary Christenson, Mayor of Malden; Wade Blackman, District Director of Policy for Congresswoman Katherine Clark; Dr. Brent Forester, Chair of Psychiatry for Tufts Medicine; Dr. Lee Robinson, Medical Director for Behavioral Health & Senior Director of Behavioral Health Policy at MassHealth; Martha Ryan, Assistant Commissioner for Clinical  and Professional Services, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.

The event occurred on the site of the new hospital located at 100 Hospital Road and celebrated the joint venture partnership between Tufts Medicine and Acadia.

"We are pleased construction has begun on our new behavioral health hospital and training site for future behavioral health clinicians," said Michael Dandorph, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tufts Medicine. "We are excited to have a partner such as Acadia who brings unrivalled behavioral health expertise and shares our commitment to quality patient care. This occasion marks an important milestone in our effort to improve access to behavioral health care for our patients and the region."

Slated to open in fall 2025, the hospital will be a center of excellence serving patients of all ages. For decades, MelroseWakefield Hospital and Lawrence Memorial Hospital have been known and highly respected for the inpatient behavioral healthcare services that they provide in their respective communities. The proposed new hospital will build upon that legacy, offering the latest in inpatient behavioral healthcare and intensive outpatient programs, and providing the continuum of care needed to support patients and their families. Turner Construction Company is the general contractor and Stengel Hill Architecture is the architect for the project.

"This new hospital will provide the greater Boston area with expanded access to quality behavioral health services and treatment from specialized clinical teams in a carefully designed environment," said Chris Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of Acadia Healthcare. "We are so proud to be affiliated with Tufts Medicine, working together to address the strong need in the Commonwealth and building upon their legacy and commitment to behavioral health services. This hospital will be a strong member of the Malden community, collaborating with local organizations, hospitals and first responders."

The new hospital will also serve as a teaching hospital for psychiatry and other behavioral health professionals, training students and residents from the Tufts University School of Medicine. This will address the shortage of clinical behavioral healthcare professionals in the area, as many of these new professionals will go on to practice in the Commonwealth and carry forth Tufts Medicine's work to improve the health and well-being of the state.

About Tufts Medicine
Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated health system bringing together the best of academic and community healthcare to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts. Comprised of Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, MelroseWakefield Hospital, Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford, an expansive home care network and a large integrated physician network, Tufts Medicine has more than 15,000 dedicated care team members providing more than 1.5 million patient experiences per year. The health system is the principal teaching affiliate for Tufts University School of Medicine. Tufts Medicine came together in 2014 to leverage the experience of its member organizations and integrate their missions to together transform the ways that consumers engage with and experience their care.

About Acadia Healthcare
Acadia is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services across the United States. As of December 31, 2023, Acadia operated a network of 253 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 11,200 beds in 38 states and Puerto Rico. With approximately 23,500 employees serving more than 75,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest stand-alone behavioral healthcare company in the U.S. Acadia provides behavioral healthcare services to its patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers and outpatient clinics.

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