The Texas Health and Human Services Commission and UT Southwestern Medical Center opened the Texas Behavioral Health Center in Dallas. Spanning 456,265 SF, the psychiatric hospital will operate 292 beds for adults and children, with admissions set to begin this summer.
Dallas has gained a major public psychiatric facility with the opening of the Texas Behavioral Health Center, a project jointly developed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and UT Southwestern Medical Center. State officials marked the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 16, 2026.
Once fully operational, the inpatient hospital will serve both adults and children. Of its planned capacity, 200 beds are allocated for adults, while as many as 92 are reserved for pediatric patients. Funding for the pediatric wing came through a donation from Children’s Health, and the broader design and construction budget was approved by Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature.
Under the arrangement, HHSC and UT Southwestern collaborated on design and construction, and the academic medical center will manage daily operations. That public-private structure pairs a state agency with a university health system, a model meant to combine institutional resources with clinical training and treatment capacity.
Design choices emphasize routine and recovery. Patient areas include a café, gym, greenhouse, chapel and beauty salon, complemented by secure outdoor spaces and natural lighting across rooms and common areas.
A broader state effort frames the project. Since 2017, Texas has committed more than $2.5 billion toward replacing, renovating and building state hospitals. These projects form part of a long-running plan to modernize aging facilities and expand inpatient psychiatric capacity statewide.
Located in Dallas and measuring 456,265 SF, the Texas Behavioral Health Center will operate 292 inpatient beds, with admissions scheduled to begin this summer. Details were drawn from a Texas Health and Human Services Commission news release.