New hospital will provide inpatient mental health treatment options
AMARILLO, Texas. – Plano-based Oceans Healthcare today announced the opening of a new inpatient psychiatric hospital in Amarillo. Co-located within Vibra Hospital at 7501 Wallace Blvd., Oceans Behavioral Hospital Amarillo will provide inpatient services, including individual and group therapies, medication management, mental health education and treatment for co-occurring health issues, under the supervision of board-certified or board-eligible psychiatrists. The hospital will treat adults age 50 and older, a population often overlooked in the behavioral health care continuum.
Mental and behavioral health care access concerns are among the top three health issues facing seniors in the Amarillo community, according to the most recent Community Health Assessment. In 2018 the city experienced a 17% increase in individuals indicating they had sought out mental health services. The Panhandle Behavioral Health Alliance sees expanding mental health care as a key initiative to support the health of the Amarillo community.
“Access to mental health care is a growing challenge in our country, and the need for these services is especially great in the Panhandle,” said Stuart Archer, CEO of Oceans Healthcare. “On top of that, we know that older adults and seniors have unique behavioral health needs that are often overlooked. This facility will help fill a critical gap in the local health care system by providing a team of professionals dedicated to meeting these needs and treating patients with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
With rising rates of depression, anxiety and substance abuse, experts predict the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have an ongoing negative effect on mental health as more people cope with isolation and job loss. Oceans Behavioral Hospital Amarillo will provide Amarillo and the neighboring communities with a new dedicated space for ongoing healing and treatment.
“It’s been a very hard year for older adults as they became more isolated than ever due to COVID, putting an even greater strain on their mental health,” said Tim Bowles, administrator of Oceans Behavioral Hospital Amarillo. “As someone with deep roots in Amarillo, I am proud to be part of the solution for our seniors whose unique behavioral health needs are too often ignored.”
