The landscape of behavioral health in the United States is rapidly evolving, with providers expanding access to care through new facilities. Miami-based Monte Nido & Affiliates and Irvine, California-based Discovery Behavioral Health recently announced the opening of new eating disorder treatment centers to meet rising demand. Monte Nido, a leader in the eating disorder space, revealed plans for a residential center in Palmetto Bay, Florida, and an ambulatory clinic in Middletown, Connecticut.
Monte Nido and Discovery Behavioral Health Expand Eating Disorder Treatment Centers
The Palmetto Bay facility, operating as Clementine Palmetto Bay, is scheduled to open in early 2023 and will focus on adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and exercise addiction. This residential eating disorder treatment center will provide structured care and individualized clinical programs tailored to each patient. The Middletown clinic, reportedly the first of its kind in the city, will serve individuals of all genders aged 12 and older, offering outpatient services that complement residential care. Discovery Behavioral Health is also opening a 48-bed adult facility in downtown Milwaukee, the Center for Discovery, which will provide both residential and outpatient services. Both organizations are backed by private equity: Monte Nido was acquired by Revelstoke Capital Partners, and Discovery Behavioral Health is supported by Webster Equity Partners, which operates more than 145 treatment centers nationwide.
National Growth in Behavioral Health Facilities
The expansion of these eating disorder treatment centers reflects a broader national trend of investing in behavioral health infrastructure. Franklin, Tennessee-based Acadia Healthcare, the nation’s largest pure-play behavioral health provider, has begun regulatory approval for a 120-bed inpatient facility in Madison, Wisconsin. The facility will serve adults and children across four units and is expected to employ approximately 240 staff members, increasing access to behavioral health services in the region.
In Texas, UT Southwestern Medical Center, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and Children’s Health are collaborating to build a $482.5 million, 296-bed psychiatric hospital in Dallas. The Texas Behavioral Health Center will include a 96-bed pediatric wing and adult treatment areas, scheduled to open between late 2025 and early 2026. Meanwhile, Omaha, Nebraska, is seeing a new $89 million, 103,500-square-foot Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, which will more than double the region’s pediatric behavioral health beds and provide the first behavioral health emergency assessment center in the area.
Other Key Behavioral Health Projects
Other developments include Initium Health’s $44.5 million psychiatric and addiction treatment facility in New Mexico, Ochsner Lafayette General and Oceans Healthcare’s $30 million joint venture in Louisiana, and a 96-bed behavioral health hospital in Fort Worth, Texas, by Signet Health and HDP Partners. These projects, alongside Monte Nido’s new eating disorder treatment centers, demonstrate a national commitment to expanding access to high-quality care, addressing both pediatric and adult needs.
The Importance of Eating Disorder Treatment Centers
The growth of eating disorder treatment centers nationwide highlights a renewed focus on specialized care, particularly for adolescents struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and related conditions. By combining residential programs, outpatient clinics, and integrated pediatric services, these new centers are providing a comprehensive continuum of care designed to meet the unique needs of every patient. Monte Nido’s and Discovery Behavioral Health’s expansions exemplify this trend, offering more options for families seeking support and treatment.
Conclusion
From private equity-backed expansions to collaborative projects involving universities and hospital systems, the development of eating disorder treatment centers reflects a long-term investment in behavioral health infrastructure. These centers are part of a larger movement to improve access, increase bed capacity, and offer specialized programs for patients with complex mental health and eating disorder needs. The continued growth of eating disorder treatment centers promises to provide safer, more effective care and improve outcomes for patients across the country.
