DHH selects Meridian Behavioral Health Services of Gainesville to take over SELH
A Florida-based health care company is assuming operation of Southeast Louisiana Hospital near Mandeville.
In November, the state Department of Health and Hospitals selected Meridian Behavioral Health Service of Gainesville as its favorite to take over SELH.
With the private company part of the equation, St. Tammany Parish government and DHH have been working on cooperative endeavor agreements with Meridian with the goal of keeping psychiatric beds on the hospital's campus.
On Monday, The Times-Picayune reported state and parish officials, along with Meridian Behavioral Healthcare CEO Wesley Mason, met to sign the agreement.
Under the plan, the state gives St. Tammany Parish the authority to manage all property at Southeast and has signed an agreement for Meridian to operate 58 psychiatric inpatient beds.
Meridian is a private, non-profit organization that has a history of providing community-based and largely publicly funded behavioral healthcare services.
DHH officials have been working with St. Tammany Parish to reach cooperative endeavor agreements with Merdian to keep psychiatric beds in place at the hospital as outpatient services continue without disruption.
(Copyright 2012 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
