On Tuesday, Washoe County and State of Nevada representatives literally knocked a wall down to start the demolition and renovation of the old West Hills Hospital.
The demolition kicks off renovations for the new Washoe Behavioral Health Center, which is looking to serve a similar purpose to the former hospital in terms of child psychiatric care.
"So, we're super excited that this facility is over 45,000 square feet," said Ryan Gustafson, Director, Washoe County Human Services Agency. "Our plan is to have at least 70 beds in the facility. We're a psychiatric residential treatment for children and adolescents, males and females."
The center will also include indoor and outdoor recreation areas, classrooms, group rooms, specialty therapeutic settings, and workforce training spaces.
The facility is also trying to act as a training place for the future workforce.
Washoe County and the state have spent about $23 million on the property.
West Hills closed in 2021, and when looking around the old building, it's dreary and mostly empty.
Mariluz Garcia, Washoe County Commissioner for District 3, where the hospital is being built, was a former school counselor.
She says the closure of the facility four years ago still haunts her.
"It was just this period of time where many of us practitioners felt hopeless," she said. "We didn't know how to best serve our students. We didn't want them to end up in the emergency rooms. And so, to be standing here with the doors open and we're getting ready to renovate the space so that it's welcoming, it's healing, and empowers families to get better together. I think it's a really important day."
The county says that the services are much needed because right now, there aren't many mental health care options for kids.
"When kids are going through a crisis now, we don't have a lot of services," Gustafson said. "Oftentimes, they'll wind up in primary care in a hospital, in a hospital bed. And the hospital has been great about that, but that's not treatment services for mental health."Â
The center is not set to open until late 2027.
