Parkridge Valley Hospital has received state approval for the emergency addition of 16 beds in an effort to meet local needs for children and adolescent behavioral health care, according to a news release.
The hospital requested the extra inpatient psychiatric beds in January after Cumberland Hall, an adolescent behavioral health facility in Chattanooga, announced it would close Jan. 31.
Area facilities that provide behavioral health services to troubled children have taken over the care of children who were residing or getting treatment at Cumberland Hall.
“I am proud of our physicians and our professional staff for their ability to step up and help fill this health care gap for some of our community’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Parkridge Valley CEO Brennan Francois.
The emergency certificate-of-need approval is valid for 120 days. Valley officials likely will file a standard application for a certificate of need to make the beds permanent, the release said.