Riverside Healthcare Invests Nearly $30 Million to Expand Inpatient Behavioral Health Services

At a time when many hospitals nationwide are scaling back behavioral health services, Riverside Healthcare is making a significant investment to expand them.

The health system has committed nearly $30 million to a complete rebuild and expand access to its inpatient behavioral health units, a multi-phase project that began in fall 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2027.

The project will modernize Riverside Medical Center’s aging inpatient units, built in 1973, and transform them into therapeutic, patient-centered environments that support healing, safety, and dignity.

“Across the country, access to behavioral health care is shrinking, but the need continues to grow,” said Riverside President and CEO Phillip Kambic. “At Riverside, we believe it’s our responsibility to step forward for our community and ensure these critical services remain available close to home.”

The need is significant. National data shows that one in two individuals will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, highlighting the importance of accessible, local care.

The redesigned units will expand capacity while introducing features that reflect modern behavioral health care standards, including:

•  More private patient rooms to support comfort and privacy
• Specialized space for geriatric behavioral health patients
• Flexible unit layouts to better match patients with appropriate levels of care
• Therapeutic design elements, including calming environments and lighting systems that mimic natural daylight cycles

These enhancements are designed to improve both patient outcomes and the overall care experience.

Inpatient care represents a critical safety net for individuals experiencing acute mental health crises, including those at risk of harming themselves or others. Riverside’s investment ensures that this level of care remains available locally, reducing the need for patients and families to seek treatment far from home.

“This is about more than updating a facility,” said Rebecca Schiltz, Riverside Vice President of Post-Acute Services. “It’s about creating a space that truly supports healing and reflects how far behavioral health care has come.”

Riverside’s inpatient services are part of a broader, growing behavioral health network that includes outpatient programs, school-based partnerships, and specialized services for children, adolescents, adults, and older adults.

Construction will continue in phases through 2027 to ensure minimual interruption patient care.

For more information about Riverside Healthcare’s behavioral health services, visit riversidehealthcare.org.