In 2021 alone, some 1,088 children were admitted to Dayton Children’s for self-harm or depression — more than six times as many as the next busiest admissions category, Blankenship said.
“We need to do more because our children are worth it,” she said.
The new building will be located on the site of a former supplier of HVAC products, 2J Supply.
The hospital acquired the property at 872 Valley St., then a 53,000 square foot one-story facility with approximately 4 acres of land, in May 2021 for $3.75 million.
Deborah Feldman, general manager of Dayton Children, said new staff would be needed at the facility, but she could not immediately offer a specific number of expected new jobs tied to the investment.
“As we expand services, we will need more people who provide this incredible service,” Feldman said. “So the workforce will play a very important role in this project, ensuring that we can attract, retain and support people who are committed to helping our children.”
The goal is to have the new building open and operational by mid-2025.
The state’s investment will come from federal America’s Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which will be invested in children’s hospitals across the state, according to DeWine’s office.
As part of the state’s “Pediatric Behavioral Health Initiative,” $84 million will go not only to Dayton Children’s, but also hospitals in Akron, Cincinnati, ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital in Toledo and beyond.
“The need to increase access to behavioral health care has been growing nationwide for years,” DeWine said in a statement from his office Monday. “I am pleased that here in Ohio we are focusing on expanding treatment capacity and improving accessibility for children and their families.
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