Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, Acadia Healthcare Announce Partnership to Address Mental Health Needs in Iowa and Nebraska

A message from Steve Goeser, president and CEO of Methodist Health System.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that mental illness is one of the most common health conditions in the United States.

According to the CDC:

• More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetimes.
• One in five Americans will experience a mental illness in any given year.
• One in five children currently have or have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
• One in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression.

Across western Iowa and eastern Nebraska alone, we’re facing a nearly 300-bed shortage for individuals needing inpatient mental health services. We simply can’t stand by and let this alarming trend continue.

That’s why Dave Burd, president and CEO of Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, and I are excited to announce a partnership with Acadia Healthcare to build a 96-bed behavioral health hospital in Council Bluffs. 

Jennie Edmundson joined forces with Acadia because of its proven behavioral health expertise and dedication to the advancement and delivery of behavioral health services. We knew that Acadia – the nation’s largest standalone behavioral health provider – would only enhance our efforts to fulfill the mission of truly caring for our communities.

We are currently in the process of purchasing undeveloped land in Council Bluffs. It was imperative to Dave, myself and our board members that these services remain in Council Bluffs. Acadia leaders understood that desire and welcomed the opportunity to add an Iowa location to their list of more than 200 successful facilities.

A rendering of the planned behavioral health hospital in Council Bluffs.

Slated to open in 2026, the hospital will include 24 inpatient beds for children and adolescents with mental health needs. It will also include large treatment rooms for group therapy sessions, centralized nursing stations to provide open lines of sight to all common areas, high ceilings and large windows to allow for more natural light, serene outdoor spaces, and state-of-the-art features.

Building this regional center of excellence will require the transition of the 29 licensed inpatient beds from Jennie Edmundson’s behavioral health unit.

Other behavioral health clinics and programs across the health system will not transition to the new hospital.

Thanks to the generous donors who made possible the recent renovations of Jennie Edmundson’s behavioral health unit, that space will continue to serve us well in the next few years. And we’ll work closely with Acadia to repurpose as much of that project as possible.

We understand this announcement may raise questions among our staff. Both organizations are committed to maintaining positions for behavioral health team members, physicians and other providers, as well as honoring years of service. Both Methodist and Acadia Healthcare recognize that our ability to provide excellent patient care is made possible only through the dedicated service of the clinicians and team members who show up every day with a passion for serving our patients. We need you now more than ever.

Rest assured that over the course of this three-year project and beyond, we will remain committed to providing the same quality and compassionate behavioral health care that we’re known for. We’ll continue to be transparent as this project develops, and we invite you to visit bluffsbehavioralhealth.com for the latest updates.

We ask that you respect the process we have in place to communicate this message to the health system, our community partners and the Council Bluffs community. The Marketing Department and the leadership team have worked diligently on a plan to ensure that all parties receive the information in a timely manner.

Finally, please consider viewing this message from Dave that was shared with our Jennie Edmundson family earlier today: