Milwaukee – In an effort to address growing demand for behavioral health care in southeastern Wisconsin, Aurora Health Care today announced plans to invest $35 million to expand and enhance services at the Aurora Psychiatric Hospital Campus in Wauwatosa. Plans call for renovation of the hospital to increase capacity for additional patients and staff, the addition a new parking structure to help ease current on-street-parking congestion and the replacement of Aurora's aging residential substance abuse and rehabilitation facility – called the Dewey Center – to increase patient capacity and consolidate the substance abuse treatment programming that is currently spread throughout the campus.
"Aurora is excited to make this investment in Wauwatosa and to increase access to much-needed behavioral health services and substance abuse treatment in southeastern Wisconsin," said Pete Carlson, president of Aurora Psychiatric Hospital and Behavioral Health Services. "As a leading Wisconsin behavioral health provider with a full continuum of behavioral health care, including inpatient, residential, partial hospital, intensive outpatient and outpatient services, we fully recognize the importance of being able to meet the community's growing demand for care and help those who need our services. The Aurora Psychiatric hospital has proudly provided behavioral health services to the community for over one hundred and thirty years, and we look forward to continuing those services long into the future."
Additionally, as part of the $35 million initiative, Aurora is planning to replace its current, aging Alumni House with a new facility. The building serves as a short-term sober living facility for as many as eight residents at any given time. The new facility is being designed to complement the character of the Aurora Psychiatric Hospital Campus. Furthermore, as part of the proposed enhancements, Aurora is planning to renovate existing buildings on campus and upgrade deteriorating, inefficient building systems and mechanical infrastructure to help ensure future longevity.
Pending approvals, the expansion and enhancement project is slated to start early next year, and is expected to be completed by early 2018.
The $35 million proposed initiative in Wauwatosa is just another piece of Aurora's comprehensive effort to help address community behavioral health needs. Earlier this year, Aurora provided $6.6 million in grants through its Better Together Fund to nearly two dozen federally qualified health centers and free clinics throughout eastern Wisconsin to help community-based providers improve access to primary care and behavioral health services.
About Aurora Health Care:
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin-area health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora is Wisconsin's most comprehensive health care provider and the state's largest private employer. Aurora serves more than 1.2 million patients every year via a comprehensive network of facilities, services and providers, including 15 hospitals, 159 clinics, 70 pharmacies and 30,000 amazing caregivers. As evidenced by more than 400 active clinical trials, Aurora is dedicated to delivering innovations to provide the best possible care today, and to define the best care for tomorrow. Get helpful health and wellness information via the Aurora MyHealth blog, our Facebook page, our Twitter account and our Pinterest account.
Tami Kou
(414) 299-1860
Tami.Kou@aurora.org
www.aurora.org/newsroom