N.J. to get first urgent care center for psychiatric emergencies under unique hospital merger
January 03, 2019
New Jersey’s largest hospital chain on Thursday completed a merger with the state’s largest private mental health facility its executives say will create the state’s first walk-in “urgent care” center that will divert people in crisis from the emergency room. The merger between Hackensack Meridian Health and Carrier Clinic also will expand addiction treatment programs in a state where eight people die every day from an opioid drug overdose. Hackensack Meridian and Carrier announced their agreement to merge in August but the deal needed approval from state and federal regulators. On Thursday, the CEOS of both institutions said that review was complete. “We are writing a new chapter for the treatment of mental illness and substance use disorder as we integrate Carrier’s proven services into our network’s robust behavioral health care,’’ said Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Robert C. Garrett.
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