Tampa General Hospital (TGH), Lifepoint Health, and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine formally cut the ribbon today and celebrated the grand opening of the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital.
The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, located in the center of the Tampa Medical &Research District (TMRD), is Florida’s first and only freestanding academic medical center-affiliated behavioral health hospital. It results from a joint venture between TGH and Lifepoint Behavioral Health, a business unit of Lifepoint Health.
“With the opening of TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, we are making a significant leap forward in addressing the pressing need for mental health services in our community and across Florida,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “This facility is more than just a hospital—it is a beacon of hope for patients and their families, offering compassionate, personalized care provided by world-class academic-based physicians with access to the latest research and cutting-edge technologies.”
The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, located at 1303 West Kennedy Boulevard, opens to the public in March. The new building spans approximately 83,000 square feet and features 96 inpatient beds. As a higher level of care for patients in crisis due to a mental health condition, inpatient treatment will offer personalized 24-hour care consisting of medication management, safety planning and therapy, both group and individual. In the next few months, partial hospitalization and outpatient treatment services will be available.
“We believe partnerships like this one are transformative for our communities,” said David Dill, chairman and chief executive officer of Lifepoint Health. “Our team first partnered with Tampa General in 2020 to build the TGH Rehabilitation Hospital, and expanding on our work together to bring additional specialty services to the region was a natural next step. By leveraging the respective strengths of Lifepoint, TGH and USF Health, this hospital will have an outsized impact on access to vitally needed mental and behavioral healthcare in Florida. We know that accessible care changes lives in innumerable ways, which is why it’s the driving force behind Lifepoint’s mission of making communities healthier.”
The hospital’s expert team of academic-medicine-based USF Health psychiatrists and psychologists, supported by Tampa General therapists and specialized nursing staff, will work collaboratively to provide personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s needs.
"Through our comprehensive academic, research and clinical activities, the University of South Florida is uniquely positioned to help address the growing demand for behavioral health services in our community, and we are proud to take part in this important initiative alongside our partners at Tampa General Hospital," University of South Florida President Rhea Law said. "We deeply appreciate our state leaders for supporting this project that will provide significant impacts for patients and for recognizing the immense value that TGH and USF Health contribute to our region, our state and beyond."
Tampa General tapped Doug Leonardo to serve as the president and CEO of the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital. Leonardo brings more than 25 years of experience in behavioral health, having developed and implemented strategies to increase access to care, improve the cost of care and develop services in new markets. He has successfully integrated behavioral health care services at 12 hospitals and emergency departments in Florida’s largest metropolitan areas.
“This is the start of a new era in mental health care, combining academic excellence with patient-centered treatment,” said Leonardo. “The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital will transform the landscape of behavioral health services in Florida, ensuring that individuals and families receive the support they need for mental wellness and recovery.”
The opening of the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital comes at a pivotal moment, as mental health needs continue to rise across the nation. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly one in four Americans lives with a mental illness, and more than half the U.S. population resides in an area with a shortage of mental health professionals.
“The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital is a prime example of how the public and private sectors can work together to bridge the gap in mental health services,” said Senator Kathleen Passidomo. “We are proud to work with Tampa General to set the standard for the nation in quality and access to care.”
The Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 330 during the 2024 legislative session to create a behavioral health teaching hospital designation in state statute. The law names the TGH Behavioral Health Hospital as the first of just four behavioral health teaching hospitals in the state.
The TGH Behavioral Health Hospital will serve as a key behavioral health training and education center. As Florida’s first designated behavioral health teaching hospital, it will provide invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for medical students and residents from USF Health’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the Morsani College of Medicine.