Twin Valley buyer will reopen campus

Columbus, Ohio (WDTN) - Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH) Director Sandra Stephenson announced today the offer by Amamata, LLC, of New Albany to purchase the Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare Dayton Campus, the state psychiatric hospital campus that closed June 30, 2008.

“Residents of Montgomery County and the surrounding area have made it clear that they value mental health as a cornerstone of overall health,” said Director Stephenson. “This private venture will not only create about 150 jobs, but also expand quality treatment options for people needing an inpatient level of care.”

Amamata President and CEO John A. Johnson is a psychiatrist in Central Ohio with more than 25 years experience in public, private and university mental health care systems. He is also the CEO and medical director of AccessOhio Mental Health Center of Excellence.

“I want to be a problem solver,” Johnson said. “It is challenging to get someone hospitalized for mental health treatment due to a significant shortage of inpatient beds. The availability of this location and the community support for mental health treatment provided the perfect opportunity for me to assist in solving this problem.”

“The state hospital had a long history of helping individuals in the community,” Rep. Clayton R. Luckie (D-Dayton) said. “Efforts to repurpose this land have been underway during the past year and a half. It’s a winning scenario that a buyer will not only bring jobs to the area but will continue to support mental health.”

“When the state hospital closed, I was concerned about access to services for area individuals and families,” said Sen. Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton). “Today's announcement gives me confidence that our regional mental health care needs will be addressed going forward.”

The former Dayton Twin Valley location at 2611 Wayne Avenue consists of approximately 46 acres and will be purchased at $1.7 million. As part of the state’s public psychiatric hospital system, the facility was staffed to treat 110 adult civil and forensic patients. The closure of two hospital sites during the 2008-2009 biennium saved approximately $21 million in the state budget, and ODMH increased capacity at several of its remaining seven hospitals so the state system continues to treat the same number of patients -- about 1,000 on any given day.

Amamata will phase in operation as soon as all registrations, certifications and licensing procedures are completed. While the public hospital only served adults, Dr. Johnson is planning units dedicated to youth and other vulnerable populations at the private facility.

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services will handle the property transfer. The sale must be approved by the state legislature.