Beginning in summer 2022, Knoxville and its surrounding counties will have a new resource to meet the growing need for accessible behavioral healthcare. East Tennessee Behavioral Health is currently under construction and will be a state-of-the-art behavioral health hospital that serves adolescents, adults, and senior adults who have mental health and co-occurring
disorders, which includes psychiatric diagnoses and substance use disorders.
A joint venture of Knoxville-based Covenant Health and Acadia Healthcare Inc. in Franklin, Tennessee (NASDAQ-ACHC), the three-story, 72,000-square-foot hospital is located on 17 acres on Old Weisgarber Road. The facility will have 90 acute care beds, with expansion capabilities for 48 additional beds.
“The opening of East Tennessee Behavioral Health marks an important expansion of much-needed mental health treatment and resources for our region,” said Jim VanderSteeg, President and CEO of Covenant Health. “Covenant Health has a long-standing commitment to mental health services through Peninsula, our behavioral health division, which includes an inpatient hospital and outpatient programs for adults, adolescents, and children. East Tennessee Behavioral Health will significantly increase both the number of patients we can serve and the treatment and support programs we can offer.”
In preparation for the opening of East Tennessee Behavioral Health, two key hospital leaders have been appointed:
Michael J. Carney has been named chief executive officer of East Tennessee Behavioral Health. Carney, a
Knoxville native, received Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health degrees from the University of
Tennessee at Knoxville. He has more than 30 years of experience in executive leadership for behavioral
health facilities, most recently serving as CEO of Brentwood Behavioral Health of Mississippi in Jackson,
Mississippi. At Brentwood, he was responsible for the operation of a 121-bed acute psychiatric and
residential system that offers inpatient and outpatient services for adults, adolescents, and children.
Mujeeb H. Khan, M.D., geriatric psychiatrist at Parkwest Medical Center, has been named medical director
of East Tennessee Behavioral Health. Dr. Khan has been a medical director and consulting psychiatrist at
facilities in Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Dakota. He is a diplomate of the American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in general psychiatry and is a diplomate or board-certified in
subspecialties including geriatric psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and clinical psychopharmacology, among
others.
Dr. Khan has had teaching appointments at several medical colleges and universities and has researched,
written, and presented on various psychiatric topics for national/international publications and
conferences. He received the NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental
Illness at the 2000 meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in recognition of contributions to
greater public understanding of brain disorders, working to eliminate stigma, fighting discrimination
policies, and caring for people who suffer from mental illness.
“We’re very pleased to have these leaders on board, along with other medical, behavioral, and operations
specialists who are working diligently to prepare for the opening of East Tennessee Behavioral Health,” said
Dr. Jeffrey Woods, Acadia Operations President. “It’s exciting to see the hospital’s construction progress
and to know the unique range of services offered by this new facility will make a positive difference in the
lives of individuals and families.”
Following its opening, East Tennessee Behavioral Health will serve as a new care coordination “hub” for
comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services in the area. Covenant Health and Acadia Healthcare will
also collaborate to develop innovative care delivery models for integrating physical and mental health
services.
For more information, visit East Tennessee Behavioral Health.
