UT Southwestern to open DFW’s first state behavioral health hospital this summer
Developed in partnership with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the state-funded facility – the first of its kind in DFW – is slated to open this summer
DALLAS – Dec. 24, 2025 – UT Southwestern Medical Center has been selected to operate the new Texas Behavioral Health Center – the first state acute care behavioral health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area – announcing plans to care for its first patients this summer.
In partnership with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), UT Southwestern led the planning, design, and construction of the nearly 505,000-square-foot hospital, which is a key part of the state’s comprehensive plan to expand inpatient psychiatric services. Following thoughtful deliberations at the state level, UT Southwestern will be entrusted with operating the innovative facility.
“Texas has benefited greatly from the vision and commitment of our Legislature and its leaders, who have made significant investments in programs and facilities across the state to address behavioral health needs,” said Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern Medical Center. “UT Southwestern, HHSC, and community stakeholders have worked collaboratively to advance the shared goals of increasing access to care and improving patient outcomes statewide. UT Southwestern stands ready and eager to assume responsibility for operating this state-of-the-art facility and delivering essential behavioral health services to Texans in need.”
When fully operational, the hospital will provide 292 beds, both civil and forensic, to serve adult and pediatric patients.
“We plan to introduce new models of care over time, such as interventional psychiatry,” said Hicham Ibrahim, M.D., M.B.A., Professor of Psychiatry and Vice President and Senior Executive Officer of Ambulatory Services at UT Southwestern, who will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer for the state hospital. “These services are designed to expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen the continuum of behavioral health care for North Texas and the state.”
UT Southwestern brings extensive experience to this new responsibility. UT Southwestern faculty and care teams already deliver evidence-based, patient-centered behavioral health care across multiple hospital systems and settings, integrating pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and neuromodulation treatments with the specialized medical care this patient population often requires. That experience and expertise will inform the clinical programs, staffing, and operations necessary to run the center safely and effectively.
The Texas Behavioral Health Center is located in Dallas’ Southwestern Medical District at the southwest corner of Medical District Drive and Harry Hines Boulevard near Zale Lipshy Pavilion – William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital, Parkland Memorial Hospital, and Children’s Medical Center Dallas. Children’s Health donated $261 million to support construction of the eventual pediatric unit, which will be operated by UT Southwestern along with the adult units.
“This new hospital will allow us to respond to the evolving mental health needs of our community,” said Kala Bailey, M.D., M.B.A., Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs of Psychiatry, and a member of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, who will serve as Interim Chief Medical Officer for the new Center. “As the DFW population continues to grow, we will be ready to provide much-needed access to comprehensive, inpatient mental health services and set a new standard for behavioral health care for our community.”
Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration and the Charles Cameron Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science. Dr. Bailey holds the Drs. Anne and George Race Professorship of Student Psychiatry.
About UT Southwestern Medical Center
UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty members have received six Nobel Prizes and include 24 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 25 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 13 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 3,200 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialties to more than 140,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 5.1 million outpatient visits a year.