Texas has never been shy about building big things to meet big needs — highways, stadiums, hospitals. But in Tarrant County, one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, a new project is less about concrete and steel than it is about compassion. On Sept. 17, JPS Health Network will open its new Psychiatric Emergency Center (PEC) at 1652 May Street, designed to meet a mental health crisis that has been years in the making.
Replacing a cramped unit on the tenth floor of the main hospital, the free-standing PEC was built specifically for people in psychiatric distress, according to a release. The goal is to expand access, ease strain on families and first responders, and create a space that treats mental health emergencies with the same urgency — and dignity — as physical ones.
“With the opening of the new Psychiatric Emergency Center, we’re expanding access to care in a way that is meeting the needs of our growing community,” said Karen Duncan, M.D., president and CEO of JPS Health Network. “This center ensures that no matter the circumstance, individuals and families can come to JPS and be supported by experts who are ready to respond around the clock.”
The PEC’s design reflects a new philosophy of psychiatric care. Instead of fluorescent lights and blank walls, patients will find calming colors, natural artwork, and therapeutic lighting. There are additional treatment rooms, enhanced safety features, and separate spaces for adolescents and adults — choices meant to reduce stress and improve outcomes. The center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s open to paramedics and police officers who bring patients in crisis, but also to families and individuals who walk in on their own. For someone battling depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, the PEC offers immediate support before symptoms spiral into tragedy.
“With this new center, our patients and families receive high-quality care in an environment that feels safe, calming, and respectful of their unique needs,” said Nekesha Oliphant, M.D., Medical Director, Behavioral Health. “I want our community to know we are here – without judgment – and this is a safe place for healing and wholeness.
The opening comes against a troubling backdrop. Tarrant County’s suicide rate has risen by more than 50 percent since 2010, reaching 15.5 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2023. Among teenagers ages 15 to 19, the rate has nearly doubled over two decades. Even children as young as ten have entered the statistics. Drug-related ER visits doubled between 2016 and 2021. Each year, JPS logs more than 18,000 psychiatric emergency visits, 4,500 inpatient admissions, and more than 52,000 outpatient visits. Demand continues to climb by nearly 10 percent annually.
The new PEC is one point on a much larger map of behavioral health care at JPS. Across the county, there are eight outpatient clinics, four partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, and Trinity Springs Pavilion — a 100-bed inpatient hospital. In schools, JPS clinicians provide mental health support across 71 districts, nearly 700 campuses, and a staggering 420,000 students. Every year, JPS’s behavioral health call center fields nearly 200,000 pleas for help. The PEC is designed to plug seamlessly into that system, offering both immediate stabilization and a bridge to long-term recovery.
“This center was designed with the needs of our patients in mind, so that it is easier than ever to seek help,” said Zelia Baugh, executive vice president, Behavioral Health. “Anyone in Tarrant County can walk through our doors, day or night, and know they’ll be seen quickly and connected to the right level of care. Importantly, you don’t have to wait for a crisis to come here. This facility removes barriers, normalizes behavioral health as part of overall health, and stands as one of the most advanced psychiatric emergency centers in the country.”