Progress continues for Trident’s new behavioral hospital

LADSON, S.C. (WCSC) - A Lowcountry health system’s new 60-bed freestanding behavioral hospital is opening in less than five months.

Final interior touches are underway for the $30.4 million hospital, and furniture will arrive in the next two weeks.

“Our current facility has a 25-bed adult inpatient psychiatric unit,” Chief Operating Officer at Live Oak Mental Health & Wellness, David Was, said. “This hospital will have 60 beds. An expansion of the beds will enable us to expand our services that we’re offering.”

Related: Construction underway for Trident’s new behavioral hospital, announcing name soon

The center being built in the Lowcountry means a lot to moms like Kelly Troyer, whose adult son has been in and out of South Carolina hospitals for mental health treatment.

“The modality of looking at the whole person, and what you can do, I noticed in the courtyard there was a basketball court, and my boy can shoot hoops,” Troyer said. “He loves basketball, so anything that he can exert energy in a positive way, that keeps him on less medication, and helps him in his recovery.”

Troyer says the center is crucial for patients like her son, because it will not feel like they are in a hospital, but instead it will be a safe space they can feel comfortable in.

Patients will range from young to old and are expected to stay for about six to eight days. Officials say because of a bed shortage across the state for mental health care, they expect to serve patients outside of the greater Charleston area.

“They’ll have activity therapy, recreational therapy, and group therapy, and through this program they’ll progressively improve their care and we’re grateful that they choose us and we’re excited that they get to go back into our community,” Was said.

Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness will be open to patients on June 6.

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