On Tuesday, September 17, W. M. Jordan Company (WMJ) and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) broke ground on a brand new mental health care facility for children.

The new 14 story hospital will have 60 beds, outpatient services, indoor and outdoor recreation and music and art therapy. The new hospital will have a staff of 415 individuals, including 16 child psychiatrists. Over the last three years, CHKD has seen a 300% increase in therapy and mental health consultations, making this addition a much needed piece of the CHKD health system.

The new facility will help children from preschool to high school age with conditions including depression, anxiety, autism and much more. This facility will offer a new level of care, standing out among the nation’s top pediatric mental health hospitals, and will feature innovative patient and family centered design, research based treatments and academic training programs for the next generation of child psychiatrists.

The family centered design of the hospital is meant to facilitate family-centered care, with parents invited to participate. Private rooms include sleeping accommodations for a parent along with nearby spaces for parents to catch up on work or to relax and unwind.

The hospital’s Indoor Recreation and Expressive Creativity Center will provide settings for individual and group therapy; allowing patients to express themselves through art, music and physical recreation; and for keeping up with school work.  This environment embraces the unique demands of childhood, allowing patients to return to daily activities and continue their healing.  The new hospital also includes a rooftop recreation center and healing garden, providing a safe and secure area for patients to connect with nature and enjoy fresh air.

The new hospital be an addition to the current CHKD and Sentara Norfolk General complex, and is scheduled to open in 2022.