NEWPORT – Newport Hospital will next year open a new unit dedicated to treating serious short-term behavioral health needs for adolescents.
Hospital officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to celebrate progress toward the opening of the James P. Nolan, MD and Peggy Nolan Adolescent Behavioral Health Unit. The eight-bed unit, developed in partnership with Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, will provide short-term stabilization, assessment and treatment services for patients aged 12 to 18 beginning in the first quarter of the new year.
Small Office, Big Impact: Rhode Island Health Care Association Upgrades to Energy-Efficient Lighting
For many small businesses and nonprofit organizations, relatively simple upgrades can deliver meaningful savings while…
Learn More
“This unit represents hope for families in our community,” said Dr. Tenny Thomas, Newport Hospital’s president and chief medical officer. “We know the mental health crisis for this age group is real and urgent. With this dedicated space, we can now offer specialized care close to home, ensuring that young people receive the support they need during their most vulnerable moments.”
Hospital officials anticipate that the unit will serve more than 240 adolescents and their families each year. The facility, which will function as Newport County’s first acute behavioral care facility for youths, will feature group therapy areas, activity rooms and an enclosed outdoor space.
The unit has been in the works since summer 2023. Donors contributed more than $5 million to its construction, which hospital officials say expedited the project’s timeline. Among those donors were Peggy and Dr. James Nolan, retired medical professionals who contributed $1 million as part of a larger gift to the hospital.
The unit also received contributions from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the Champlin Foundation, Alletta Morris McBean Charitable Trust, Bellevue Asset Management and the Schorsch and Weil families, among other donors.
“This is a transformative moment for Newport Hospital, and even more so for the children and families who need the level of specialized care this behavioral health unit will offer,” said Carol Bazarsky, chair of the Newport Hospital Foundation board of trustees. “The impact of philanthropy here is extraordinary and the completion of this space is another example of the difference it makes. I am deeply grateful to our incredible donors for their unwavering support and commitment to our community.”
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN Staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
